Category Archives: Podcast

61: Concluding The Misunderstood God by Darin Hufford

17 Replies

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg complete their discussion of Darin Hufford’s book The Misunderstood God.  John notes that both he and Gregg decided not to discuss all the chapters, while Gregg notes that the same themes are recurring in different chapters (and under different topics).

John gives the book three out of five stars and summarizes it in two ways.  First, by noting how it provides answers to the question of “what” God is or does (such as God being ‘love’) without offering much regarding “how” one comes to see or experience God in this way.  Second, by noting that the book would be much more credible if Hufford offered some form of substantiation for his views instead of asserting that “this generation” does X or fails to do Y.  Particularly, having biblical references when referring to matters concerning God and Christianity would be helpful.
Continue reading →

60: Love of People or Doctrine | Listener Feedback

Leave a reply

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg discuss listener feedback from Evan in Virginia.  Evan appreciated the recent podcast on Love and Biblical Illiteracy while posing several questions.

First, can one’s love of biblical doctrine impact how we love others, whether positively or negatively?  Next, Evan wonders how valuable the church’s tradition are and whether we lose something when ignore them or put them aside?  Finally, he wonders if it’s possible we become so preoccupied with whether something is right or wrong that, as a consequence, we lose something of the relational aspect that should mark a Christian’s engagement with others?

On the first question, John offers a resounding ‘Yes’!  For John this is linked to an excessive emphasis in North American churches on judgement (deciding the rightness and wrongness of things).  For Gregg this point raises the relationship between practice and theory.  Gregg agrees with John’s emphasis on judgement, noting the distinction between boundary-focused churches and centre-focused churches.
Continue reading →

59: Understanding Love By Being Loved | Chap 11 of Misunderstood God

Leave a reply

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 →

58: What I Get From the Bible is What it Means

Leave a reply

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

In this episode John and Gregg discuss two questions.  First, a podcast John has been listening to raised the issue of how much study and learning one needs in order to know God? Second, John questions whether memorizing scripture holds the potential problem that one may not have the right interpretation of those verses (and so risks misapplying them)? The jumping off place for this second question was Episode #54 about Biblical Illiteracy.

Gregg responds that memorizing is not necessarily understanding (or applying) correctly.  Further, the smaller the section memorized, the greater the chance of misapplying it (because understanding comes, in part, through context) and missing better understandings of a given text.

John is struck by the very notion of the “best understanding” of a biblical passage, which seems rare in churches, instead of aiming for the right understanding.  Also, while Gregg cautions against “going it alone,” for John this idea seems to count against the notion that Christians are supposed to meditate on Scripture so that the Holy Spirit can inform them about its meaning.
Continue reading →

57: Loved By and In Love With | Chap 9 of The Misunderstood God by Darin Hufford

5 Replies

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 →