Roger E. Olson's Blog, page 184

Why I like denominations

Why I Like Denominations One of the sea changes taking place in American religious life is a popular turn away from denominations. Some say we are entering, if not already in, a “post-denominational” era. Nearly all traditional denominations are struggling with membership declines and revenue shortfalls. As I put my ear to the ground of [...]

Reasons for Believing the Bible is God’s Word

Reasons for Believing the Bible is God’s Word Whenever I talk about biblical inerrancy or the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit (as the basis for believing the Bible to be God’s Word) the same questions arise. People ask: 1) How can I trust the Bible to be true theologically if there are any errors [...]

Why (and how) I am a “confessing evangelical” (response to Al Mohler, et al.)

In The Spectrum of Evangelicalism (to which I contributed a chapter and responded to other authors’ chapters), Al Mohler touted what he calls “confessing evangelicalism.” I suspect he thinks I’m not one. In fact, he more or less wrote (in his response to my chapter and the book’s conclusion) that I’m not an evangelical at [...]

Some good novels that include theological themes

Recently I’ve read or listened to (I listen to novels on my ipod while I work out and drive) several excellent novels that include religious-theological themes. They certainly are not books of high theology. By that I mean that the theologies in them are often mixed with folk religion, but I bring them up here [...]

What do I mean when I say the Bible is “trustworthy?”

With the whole catholic and orthodox church of Jesus Christ I whole heartedly affirm that the Bible, the Christian scriptures, is entirely trustworthy and true. As they say, however, the devil is in the details. How does “trustworthy” and “true” function? What do these adjectives mean? Clearly, given a recent experience, a group of people [...]

Whatever Happened to the “Evangelical Left?”

Whatever Happened to the “Evangelical Left? Yesterday I had lunch with a friend who showed me a recently published book I need to read. Rarely do I mention a book here that I have not yet read and this is no review of the book. According to Amazon.com the book’s official release date is tomorrow [...]

My Christianity Today article “The Bonds of Freedom”

My article “The Bonds of Freedom” is now published in Christianity Today (October, 2012) and should be available digitally on line–at least for subscribers. Try: http://christianitytoday.imirus.com/M... I will be interested in answers to this question: Does what I say here satisfy (or at least mollify) my Calvinist critics who say Arminians make an idol out [...]

Evangelical Inquisitions

Evangelical Inquisitions I’ve been actively involved in evangelicalism and especially the evangelical academy (scholarly community) for over thirty years now and I’ve noticed a bad habit among conservative evangelical biblical scholars and theologians. They seem addicted to inquisitions. It happened to me again, just today. An e-mail from “friends” (an evangelical organization I allegedly belonged [...]

A Neglected Theory of the Atonement?

A Neglected Theory of the Atonement? Evangelical theology has fallen into another debate over the atonement. Or perhaps I should say we are in the midst of another phase of that long running debate. One of the central questions is whether the penal substitution theory is central to evangelical belief in the atoning death of [...]

New Orleans, Bourbon Street and Street Preaching: A Case of Religious Persecution?

According to several news reports I have read, the City of New Orleans and its police department are attempting to stop street preaching on Bourbon Street after dark. Some preachers have been arrested, but a judge has slapped an injunction on the city to stop it from enforcing the ordinance until a hearing can be [...]