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
Top Posts & Pages
Archives
Categories
Category Archives: Theology
Why Christian truth is messy
However carefully formulated, our written doctrines, theologies and moral codes don’t and can’t convey the fullness of Christian truth. That’s partly because words aren’t up to the job, as I said last time. But even more it’s because Christian truth … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Incarnation, Spirituality, Theology, Truth
Tagged incarnation, love, theology, truth
4 Comments
Knowing God vs knowing about God
I’ve spent a lot of time over the years writing about God, faith and spirituality. So it’s easy to kid myself that I’m a bit of an expert (albeit an amateur one, if that isn’t a contradiction in terms – … Continue reading
Why doesn’t God just save everyone? II: Arminianism and Universalism
So last time I was looking at the Calvinist idea that God could sovereignly choose to save or redeem everyone, but doesn’t, for whatever mysterious reason. I said that though this view has some scriptural backing, there are other Bible passages … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Evangelicalism, Salvation, Theology, Universalism
Tagged Arminianism, Arminius, Calvinism, inclusivism, Salvation, universalism
26 Comments
“I am” part II – the simplicity of God
Sorry if it all got a bit abstract last time – I get carried away with theology sometimes, which is dangerous for an amateur. 😉 So last time I said that God is both unknowable yet makes himself known; that … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Theology
Tagged Aquinas, divine simplicity, I am, second commandment, YHWH
9 Comments
“I am who I am” – Naming the unnameable God
So a small question for you – who is God? Last time we looked whether God might ever say “I am Charlie”. This time I’d like to look at an almost equally famous and maybe even slightly more important “I … Continue reading
The Incarnation: Why did God become human? (part II)
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” John’s gospel “What if God was one of us, just a slob like one of us?” Joan Osborne Last time I looked at some of the reasons why God may have chosen … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, Incarnation, Theology
Tagged avatar, Christ, homoousios, incarnation
Leave a comment
The Incarnation: why did God become human? (part I)
For me there are only two absolutely crucial miracles in Christianity, and they’re interlinked – the Incarnation and the Resurrection of Christ. In the first, God enters space-time and history and takes on our human nature, ‘humanising’ the deity. In … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, Incarnation, Salvation, Theology
Tagged Athanasius, Christ, human nature, incarnation, Virgin birth
2 Comments
Is Jesus the Messiah – and does it matter?
Last time I was asking whether Jesus was the Son of God. A slightly different question is whether he was also the Messiah (Hebrew Mašíaḥ) – or as translated into Greek, Khristós or Christ; literally ‘the anointed’. And the answer … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Theology
Tagged Christ, gospel writers, Mashiach, Melchizedek, Messiah, messianic prophecies, Suffering Servant
Leave a comment
The Evangelical Liberal 