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The Evangelical Liberal is a blog to explore more open and liberated ways of being a Christian, particularly for those who have struggled to find their way within the evangelical tradition. Read more-
Recent Posts
- “Up, civil unrest!” (an Easter-ish reflection)
- Still Evangelical Liberal after all these years?
- Reasons to be hopeful?
- Covid questions – 3. What kind of God would send a pandemic?
- Covid questions – 2. Is it sent by God to punish sin?
- Covid questions – 1. Is it the end of the world?
- All together at the cross
- Does light overcome darkness?
- God bless America
- The Penitent Thief – a Good Friday reflection
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Category Archives: Faith
Does light overcome darkness?
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” What does faith – especially Christian faith – mean? It’s something I’ve been pondering for a while now, particularly as so many aspects of Christian theology and … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, Faith
9 Comments
Coping with our faith crises
One of the problems with the usual model of spiritual or religious development we’ve inherited is that it too often places the ‘spiritual crisis’ only in the past – ‘I was lost, now I’m found’. So we’re allowed the single … Continue reading
Posted in Dark night of the soul, Faith, Scepticism and doubt, Stages of faith, The faith journey
Tagged backsliding, doubt, faith crisis, faith journey
10 Comments
Why doesn’t God magically sort out our problems?
Way back last time I was looking at miracles, and the problems both of being overly cynical about the miraculous or overly reliant on it. This follows on from a slightly different angle. First, a question. If you knew God … Continue reading
Posted in Divine intervention, Faith, Suffering, The faith journey
Tagged magic, miracles, rescue, spiritual maturity
11 Comments
An experience of encounter?
“Fire God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of philosophers and scholars. Certainty, certainty, heartfelt, joy, peace. God of Jesus Christ… My God and your God.” (Blaise Pascal, 1654) Recently I wrote about God being a reality to … Continue reading
Posted in Contemplative, Faith
Tagged Blaise Pascal, divine encounter, divine love, Julian of Norwich, Thomas Anselm, transfiguration
7 Comments
Should we accept reality or should we fight it?
…that is the question: whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them? Hamlet God grant me the courage to … Continue reading
Three cheers for an Archbishop who admits doubts
In a light-hearted but personal interview in front of hundreds of people in Bristol cathedral last weekend, [Archbishop] Justin Welby said: “There are moments, sure, where you think ‘Is there a God? Where is God?’”. (www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/18/archbishop-canterbury-doubt-god-existence-welby) So Archbishop of Canterbury … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Scepticism and doubt, Suffering, World events
Tagged Archbishop of Canterbury, doubt, Justin Welby
8 Comments
Suffering IV – Why doesn’t God just rescue us?
One of the hardest questions around suffering is why God often doesn’t rescue us from our troubles when we so desperately want and ask him to. We plead with him and implore him, with tears and sometimes for years on … Continue reading
Posted in Divine intervention, Faith, Suffering
Tagged compassion, deliverance, divine intervention, Martin Luther King, redemption, rescue, Suffering, victims
11 Comments
An experience of grace
I’ll confess that my life isn’t always characterised by the Deep Joy and Peace of the Lord™. I’m sure it will come as a surprise to hear that I don’t float around on a Christian cloud, enjoying unbroken fellowship with … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Grace, Love of God, Prayer, Spirituality
Tagged encountering God, grace, prayer
18 Comments