Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg discuss Chapter 11 of Darin Hufford’s Misunderstood God.  John notes, after having read to this point, that the book does not seem to have any continuity between chapters, which makes it harder to follow.  John also sees interesting connections between this chapter and Episode #33: “God is Not an Idiot.”

Gregg re-read chapters 8 to 10 in considering this chapter, and notes his goal of identifying some of the problematic themes or orientations in order to re-orient towards what seem better formulations or orientations.  So Gregg notes the two issues of Darin globalizing his experience to his readers and also misformulating matters. Also, page 93 seems to be key for Darin as he notes, “imagine my surprise when I discovered that the experience of love is not in receiving it but in giving it.”

John finds this one-sided: surely we also experience (and so understand) love in receiving it!  Gregg’s view is that the Christian’s perspective on loves is necessarily informed by the new testamental description of God: as both sovereign and as Father.  In terms of God’s love for us, as father, this is accompanied by the idea that human love is always responsive to God’s love.  In other words, we know God’s love by receiving it.
Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg discuss Chapter 9 of Darin Hufford’s Misunderstood God.  Gregg comments that he has never had a book that he has liked more and likes less at the same time.  He identifies certain ‘nuggets’ of gold yet finds certain formulations or presentations of the material that seem so incorrect that this shakes Gregg’s trust in the author.

John feels like he’s moved into “skim mode” with this book, looking for what seems positive or thought-provoking.  So he appreciates Darin’s view about Christianity being sin-focused and some things about God being angry and the need for control by fear in churches.

Gregg is interested that John has stopped reading and started skimming, and makes the meta-comment that a book about the ills of Christianity should be able to keep those readers engaged who are interested in this subject, and uses this as a lesson for himself about the podcast.  Is the message too deep or intellectual?  Or is the author globalizing her/his views or misformulating matters?  Either approach risks alienating readers.
Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg discuss the fact that they, and particularly Gregg, are viewing and responding to the material that they are working with in a very different way from many other reviewers (such as their responses to Kyle Idleman’s Not a Fan and Darin Hufford’s Misunderstood God).

John reflects on how his discomfort level with these “differences” is much lower than when he first began discussing these topics.  John also notes that a listener sent him a book (Surrender to Love, by David Benner) that reinforces some of Gregg’s perspectives and the things he and John and have been discussing.  John also notes the rigor of the presentation of Benner’s book offers a degree of credibility that far outweighs what they’ve seen in the other books they’ve discussed so far.
Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg discuss an article from the Biola University alumni magazine purporting to identify a “crisis of biblical illiteracy” within evangelical churches.  The author, Kenneth Bearding, holds a Ph. D. in hermeneutics and biblical interpretation, and targets biblical illiteracy.

John sees the article as “click bait”: dramatizing an issue in order to curry readership.  Gregg found one of the comment to the article very helpful, which stated that in the author’s examples the people seemed not so much biblically illiterate as historically and culturally under-informed.

Similarly, John wonders if this article is not proposing a “cure” without having accurately diagnosed the problem!  In other words, by presenting a loaded topic that has only one ‘acceptable’ answer (e.g., no good Christian would approve of biblical illiteracy).
Continue reading →