This episode asks the question: “What is Faith”? Is it, as some maintain, just believing things for no good reason? When Christian thinkers over the years have spoken of having faith, what have they been talking about? Listen and find out!
At the end of this episode I ask listeners if they have any suggestions for scholars that I might interview in future episodes. Be sure to speak up if you have any ideas!
As someone who (as far as I can tell) is a fairly orthodox and conservative – I would say evangelical – Christian, what should I make of the frequent reference among my peers to the “verbal” inspiration of Scripture?
Interested? Read the rest.
As readers will know, I think the moral argument for God’s existence is a good argument. As those same readers will also probably know, I’m very sympathetic to a divine command theory of ethics. One thing that I’ve said from time to time, at the blog, in the podcast and elsewhere, is that sometimes critics of the moral argument or of divine command ethics confuse the ontology (or perhaps metaphysics – the terms sometimes overlap) of morality with the epistemology of morality. If, as I say, some people miss this distinction, what does it boil down to and where is the confusion going on? That’s what this blog post is about.
Interested? Read the rest.
Every now and then, the subject of blog censorship comes up here. It comes up rarely, but it is mentioned. Interestingly, when it is mentioned, it is usually mentioned because somebody is commenting on how much they appreciate the fact that I don’t censor discussion here. As it turns out, usually the comment is made by an atheist after a discussion with me here, contrasting this blog with those that have censored their comments in the past at other blogs, noting how they appreciate the difference. I know how they feel. Every now and then my comments at other blogs are refused – even when I’m replying to blog posts actually written about me! To be fair, I’ve found that believers and non-believers alike are just as prone to censoring me. I take the approach that if you’re going to have comments at your blog and you want a reputation for having a blog where worthwhile discussions can happen, you need to have an open door policy. Unless comments step over the line into inappropriate material (and it helps to state clearly somewhere what this would involve), all comers should be welcome.
Interested? Read the rest.
I started the “Nuts and Bolts” series as a way of explaining some of the basic / common concepts in philosophy as well as theology at a fairly introductory level. Sometimes this is prompted by the realisation that online, often people refer to those concepts – even criticising or commending them – without actually having a firm grasp on them. It was an example like this that prompted me to start the series.
This instalment, on “Mere Christianity,” was prompted in a similar way. John Loftus over at Debunking Christianity doesn’t think much of the notion of “Mere Christianity.” In fact he really doesn’t think there is such a thing.
Interested? Read the rest.
There’s a shiny new button to press over on the right.
It’s a link to the new store, Say Hello to my Little Store, run by yours truly. You can buy philosophy and theology related T-shirts and other stuff (the inventory is increasing), as well as material promoting this blog and podcast.
Now you won’t ever have to wonder what to buy for Christmas presents again!
EDIT: If you’d like to request an item with a specific theme, suggestions are welcome.
If you liked this post, feel free to help support this project.
