One common argument among atheists is that since evolution is a fact, there was no Adam to be responsible for original sin, and so Christ as a savior paying the sin debt is unnecessary.  This is based on the commonplace conservative penal substitution interpretation of the cross (as opposed to the moral influence theory), and … Evolution: No Adam?  No problem

[*The things I write here simply reflect hermeneutic curiosity, and are not intended to endorse any religion.] So, last time I was talking a bit about Isaiah 6:5 and the idea of seeing God in all his glory and holiness makes conspicuous our sinfulness and inspires our repentance.  The Gospel of John specifically references the … (2/2) The Rise of Spirit Warriors on the Christian Right: The Secrets Of The Cross

I agree most secularists poke fun at the resurrection miracle claim of apologists, but have no good alternative, as even Dr. Bart Ehrman admits, which really isn’t playing fair. See Ehrman’s debate with William Lane Craig (see time 1:14:00 – 1:19:00): Ehrman’s argument is that any argument, however improbable, is still more likely than the … The Noble Lie Theory Of Christian Origins

“How an extreme transformation in American religion poses an existential threat to our democracy“ I just read this article my friend sent me about how the religious right poses an existential threat to USA democracy. Here is a sample passage: The idea that the cross of Christ meant Jesus suffered the death we deserved and … The Rise of Spirit Warriors on the Christian Right

This will be my last post for a little while. I think Bradley will still be posting. I just wanted to share a few final thoughts on Corporate Sin. Did The Historical Jesus Know John The Baptist? Our first gospel Mark clues us in that his portrayal of John the Baptist serves a literary and … Corporate Sin Post Script: Did The Historical Jesus Know John The Baptist? (My Last Blog Post For A Little While)

So, last time I talked about getting beyond the personal sin/sinner’s prayer ideology of the conservative evangelical interpretation of Christianity to the corporate sin issue of things like systemic racism that needs to be made conspicuous and overcome with the liberal/progressive Christian interpretation. Terry Simon has a helpful quote on this: The story of Native … Corporate Sin (2/2)

“The world is ending… Honestly … So, uh, you better get right with God!” As an Atheist/Agnostic, I don’t believe in God or an afterlife or any of that, but I do think there are better and worse interpretations of original Christianity. I am of the interpretive school of liberal Christianity, rather than conservative Christianity. … Corporate Sin

So, Adam and Eve sinned, and we are guilty of that sin, so God sent Jesus to die for our sins and save us. Right? Well, that’s a conservative Christian reading. Against this, many liberal Christians see Adam and Eve as a metaphor. Dr. James McGrath comments: Question: In Paul’s mind Christ is the “second … Conservative vs Liberal Christians: Wait, There’s Another Way To Read This?!

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I posted this back in 2011 on Dr. R Joseph Hoffmann’s blog, but it still bears repeating today: The central drama of the Christian Religion, the crucifixion narrative in Mark, is historical fiction. We can know that Jesus was crucified through other means, but the narrative elements never happened. I want people to understand that … Mark’s Narrative Of The Crucifixion As Historical Fiction