About
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: Heresy/blasphemy
How do we know what true Christianity is?
or, Whose orthodoxy is the right one? There’s been a lot of talk recently about whether Islamic State militants are truly Islamic. They of course claim to be the true representatives of Islam, but mainstream Muslims argue that I.S. absolutely … Continue reading
Posted in Atheism/agnosticism, Fundamentalism, Heresy/blasphemy, Liberalism, Orthodoxy, Religion
Tagged creed, denominations, diversity, fundamentalism, orthodoxy, right belief
28 Comments
Jesus is Charlie?
The ‘Je suis Charlie’ slogan and hashtag can hardly have escaped many people’s notice this last week. It arose in the immediate aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo killings, as a sign of support and solidarity – of personal identification with … Continue reading
Posted in Heresy/blasphemy, Incarnation, World events
Tagged Charlie Hebdo, Christ, incarnation, Je suis Charlie, jihadists
2 Comments
Why it’s (not) important what you believe
Writing this blog I get to interact with a lot of people with widely differing beliefs – ranging from straight-down-the-line evangelicals to deists, agnostics, atheists and even the occasional pagan, with pretty much every other shade of belief and unbelief … Continue reading
Posted in Atheism/agnosticism, Controversies, Fundamentalism, Heresy/blasphemy, Liberalism, Psychology, Theology
Tagged beliefs, correct belief, creed, heresy, right doctrine
46 Comments
Last night I burnt the Bible
Before we go any further I need to put some warnings and caveats on this post! Firstly, it’s another poem, for which I apologise to all who understandably hate poetry. Secondly, it’s not a particularly good poem. It doesn’t rhyme … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Heresy/blasphemy, Poems, The faith journey
Tagged Bible, blasphemy, book-burning, fire, hell, poetry, sacrilege
2 Comments
If Jesus had been in marketing
And now (at the risk of blasphemy) for something completely different… Imagine the scene. Near Galilee, c.32AD. Meeting of Jesus and disciples, in an IKEA-furnished upper room. Jesus is speaking… Right everyone! Monday morning team meeting. Judas, have you printed … Continue reading
Posted in Heresy/blasphemy, Money and marketing, Satire/silly
Tagged business, Christ, Jesus, marketing, satire, WWJD
5 Comments
I am not a Christian…
If a Christian is someone who has all the answers and knows they’re right and others are wrong, I’m not a Christian. If a Christian is someone with a one-way ticket to heaven who’s convinced that everyone else is going … Continue reading
What to make of The Teenage Exorcists?
I don’t know if any of you caught the recent BBC documentary on ‘The Teenage Exorcists’ – three all-American girls who, under the mentoring of Pastor Bob Larson (father of one of the three), have a dramatic deliverance ministry. If … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Charismatic, Controversies, Evil, Fundamentalism, Hell, Heresy/blasphemy, Mental health, Psychology, TV and film
Tagged Bob Larson, Brynne Larson, deliverance, demonic possession, demons, evil spirits, exorcism, Harry Potter, karate, Satan, the devil, The Teenage Exorcists, unclean spirits, witchcraft
23 Comments
Did Jesus have a wife – and does it matter?
Short answers: probably not, and not hugely. Now for the longer answers if you’re interested… So we’ve probably all heard about the recent discovery of a papyrus fragment that’s being called the ‘Gospel of Jesus’s wife’, based on its inclusion … Continue reading
Why blasphemy shouldn’t be a crime
‘You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God’ (Exodus 20:7) Blasphemy’s been in the news a fair bit recently. But what actually is blasphemy, and should it be a crime under national or international law? The word … Continue reading
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