A Christmas Day Sermon: One of my favourite things to do is burn frankincense. I started this whilst living in Egypt and enjoying it in the Coptic churches. All the way through the Old Testament, the priests would burn incense. And somehow this represents before God the prayer of the people. Even today in many... Continue Reading →
Terror Darkness Waste Murder
"Like a tragedy, [the life and crucifixion of Jesus] stirs up pity and terror in us. Like a tragedy it requires us to contemplate the world’s darkness. Like a tragedy, it draws attention to waste. It shows us a life that need not have been extinguished being extinguished, without particular malice, by the normal processes... Continue Reading →
Pt 6: Response to C.S. Lewis’s “The Problem of Pain”
Guest post by theologian Dr Rob Knowles on The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: Part 6: Response to Chapter 10. Heaven. Turning now to Lewis’s final chapter, on heaven, then I agree with his point that the issue of the existence of heaven precedes any discussion of whether or not belief in heaven’s... Continue Reading →
Pt 5. Response to C.S. Lewis’s “The Problem of Pain”
Guest post by theologian Dr Rob Knowles on The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: Part 5: Chapter 9. Animal Pain. Lewis’s chapter on animal pain is very interesting. Since Lewis acknowledges that he is just speculating when it comes to this matter, then we should be gracious in our responses to what he... Continue Reading →
Pt 4: Response to C.S. Lewis’s “The Problem of Pain”
Guest post by theologian Dr Rob Knowles on The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: Part 4: Chapter 8 - Hell In his chapter on hell, Lewis takes the three notions of “destruction”, “eternal torment”, and “privation” and then works them into a systematic unity. This leads to two difficulties. First, Thiselton points out:... Continue Reading →
Pt 3: Response to C.S. Lewis’s “The Problem of Pain”
Guest post by theologian Dr Rob Knowles on The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: Part 3: Response to Chapter 6 & 7 - Human Pain/Appendix by R. Havard (a Doctor) I agree with most of what Lewis says in Chapter 6. Lewis rightly stresses three forms of remedial pain: (a) retributive punishment... Continue Reading →
Pt 2: Response to C.S. Lewis’s “The Problem of Pain”
Guest post by theologian Dr Rob Knowles on The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: Part 2: Chapter 4 - Human Wickedness Chapter 5 - The Fall of Man(kind) Response to Chapter 4. Human Wickedness Lewis is entirely correct to emphasize the unhappy truth that we habitually deny our sin, or at least... Continue Reading →
Response to C.S. Lewis’s “The Problem of Pain”
Guest post by theologian Dr Rob Knowles on The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: Part 1: Chapter 1 - Introductory Chapter 2 - Divine Omnipotence Chapter 3 - Divine Goodness Response to Chapter 1: Introductory I agree with Lewis’s basic argument that the problem of pain emerges historically, and not philosophically. Suffering... Continue Reading →
Theodicy: The problem of evil – for beginners
Below are four excellent introductory pictoral videos that introduce the problem of theodicy, and how we can begin to think about it theologically. No doubt we've all heard people say, (rather dismissively as though this is their lifetime study project): "I don't believe in God because of all the evil and suffering in the world!"... Continue Reading →
The Windy Confidence of Christianity’s Critics
In a book way back in 1992 called 'Suffering', Alistair McGrath wrote: "Some say that nothing could ever be adequate recompense for suffering in this world. But how do they know? Have they spoken to anyone who has suffered and subsequently been raised to glory? Have they been through this experience themselves? One of the... Continue Reading →
Gralefrit Theology 