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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: Future
What does God want you to do?
So we’ve looked at whether God has a plan for your life, and whether he sees or even sets the future. Let’s get right down to the practical nitty-gritty. What does God actually want us to do? Now I’m not … Continue reading
Posted in Future, Guidance, Incarnation, Psychology, The faith journey
Tagged Be yourself, Christ in me, Christlike, incarnation, John Finnemore, Personality, self-acceptance
1 Comment
Does God know the future?
This follows on from the last piece on whether God has a ‘perfect plan for our lives’. Part of how we answer that depends on another question – how much of the future does God know? How much has he … Continue reading
Does God have a Perfect Plan For Your Life?
While we’re still in the first flush of the New Year, making plans with the blank page of the future open before us, it’s maybe worth considering this question. It’s become a kind of evangelical evangelistic cliché: ‘God loves you … Continue reading
Posted in Calvinism, Future, Guidance, The faith journey
Tagged Calvinism, determinism, discernment, future, God's will, life decisions, Perfect Plan, redemption
18 Comments
New Year – so what?
Happy New Year. What does it mean? Another circuit of the Sun (a half billion miles to start again where we’d begun) Three-six-five revolutions, as many broken resolutions, Another cycle of the seasons – Cold and warm, light and dark, … Continue reading
Posted in Future, Poems, Seasons
Tagged 2013, 2014, New Year, resolutions, review of the year
2 Comments
Life as tragedy and comedy
I didn’t originally intend this as a reflection for Remembrance Sunday, but I happen to be posting it today and it seems strangely appropriate… If all the world is a stage and each of us merely players, what kind of … Continue reading
Posted in Church calendar, Dark night of the soul, Future, Love of God, The faith journey, Tragedy
Tagged bad news, Comedy, cosmic drama, death, entropy, good news, happy endings, resurrection, Tragedy
4 Comments
The End of the World ISN’T Nigh…
Before getting back to the programme, please can I just set all your minds at rest. The world isn’t going to end this week. It really isn’t. I hereby give you my cast-iron guaranteed on-my-honour promise of that, and you … Continue reading
Posted in Eschatology/end-times, Future, World events
Tagged 21 December 2012, apocalypse, End of the world, End Times, Mayan calendar, second coming
9 Comments
Future perfect vs. present imperfect (or two different kinds of real)
We live every day in the complex interplay and flux of two different realities, or kinds of reality. The first is the obvious, everyday here-and-now reality of this physical world; the ‘present imperfect’. It is this current realm in which … Continue reading
Posted in Eschatology/end-times, Future, Theology
Tagged entropy, eschatology, future now, hope, John 11, Kingdom of God, Lazarus, miracles, now and not yet, prayer
2 Comments
Easter – all’s well that ends well
Easter! The Great Sunrise, the first light of dawn after the longest and darkest night; the first day of spring after the bitterest and most barren winter. The world shines new on Easter morn, a world reborn and renewed. Easter … Continue reading
Posted in Church calendar, Easter, Eschatology/end-times, Future, Love of God, Suffering, Theology
Tagged Bill and Ted, Easter, hope, Julian of Norwich, resurrection
1 Comment
It’s the end of the world as we know it – Rapture and ridiculousness
Well, it looks like we’ve all been reprieved – Harold Camping has apparently announced that he was out in his calculations by 5 months. Better repent now while you have the chance, as I’ve no doubt he’ll be proved right … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Controversies, Eschatology/end-times, Future, World events
Tagged End Times, Harold Camping, Rapture
5 Comments