Radically Happy

  • Daniel 2 Chaldean Dreaming

    Questions: How can we find the answer when we don’t know the question? Does God speak to us through dreams? Can impossible demands lead to miraculous deliverance? Does it matter who gets the glory? Will it help to know the future? “Read More” to pursue answers from the Prophet Daniel.

  • Dr. Ernie: A Brief Biblio-Professional Biographical Blurb

    I am very excited about being invited to speak next month at the InterVaristy Christian Fellowship in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. They’ve asked for my “spiritual/professional” background, which is something I’ve never pulled together before. As long as I’m writing one up, I figured I may as well blog…

  • Daniel 1 Board-ing School

    Questions: Why should we trust God when everything has gone wrong? How do we remain faithful when it doesn’t seem to make sense? Where do we draw the line? Should we submit to other’s expectations? Will God take care of us? “Read More” to pursue answers from the Prophet Daniel.

  • DiaBlogue: A Minimal Set of Shared Beliefs

    Dear Alan, On the whole, I was probably more relieved than surprised to discover that you responded to my bet with affirmation (given my past failures to accurately identify shared beliefs :-). For the most part, I am pleased that — for the first time since our Epistemology — we…

  • Ecclesiastes 11-12 The End of the Matter

    Questions: In an uncertain world, how should we live? Is it foolish to enjoy youth? Is it wise to ignore death? Is life still worth living when all we’ve lived for passes away? Does it still make sense to trust God? To fear Him? “Read More” to pursue answers from…

  • Ecclesiastes 10 The Wisdom Blog

    Questions: Why was Ecclesiastes written? What purpose was the author trying to accomplish? Why did he include so many different genres? How do all these proverbs help advance the “plot” (if any)? “Read More” to pursue answers from Ecclesiastes.

  • Ecclesiastes 9 Grave Injustice

    Questions: Does God love the righteous and the wise? Does that mean he’ll spare them from evil and hate? Does it even improve our odds? If not, what difference does anything make? What advantage, if any, is there in being alive? In being wise? “Read More” to pursue answers from…

  • Envisioning a Radical Centrist Orthodoxy

    In a fit of chutzpah, I decided to write the aforementioned Dr. Reno — not merely to express admiration for his work, but (gulp) to suggest a new direction he might want to pursue. I’m not quite sure how he’ll take it, but the letter turned into a reasonably concise…

  • Dr. Russell Reno: Radical Middle Theologian?

    My old Sunday School teacher Peter Wagner used to joke that the First Rule of Christian Debate was to pick the worst example of the other side and use that to justify your own position. Alas, he knew from painful experience that such tactics were no laughing matter, but all…

  • DiaBlogue: Where’s The Love?

    Dear Alan, Since my holiday truce failed to inspire a response, I hope you will forgive me for attempting something more provocative. 🙂 While this is mostly an (oblique) attempt to respond to your latest non-DiaBlogue post — and others like it — I hope it will also serve to…

  • Ecclesiastes 8 Letters of Resignation

    Questions: Is it good to be wise? Does it really matter? To what must we ultimately submit? Does it help to be wicked? Does it hurt? Can we even hope to figure it out? Or should we just enjoy the ride? “Read More” to pursue answers from Ecclesiastes.

  • Ecclesiastes 7 Drear Prudence

    Questions: Is death better than birth? Sorrow superior to rejoicing? Why must the author focus on so many depressing things? Does wisdom eliminate the need for wealth? Or even for folly? Can we ever become wise enough to escape the snares of our common humanity? “Read More” to pursue answers…

  • A New Year’s Shout Out To My Homies

    I suppose I should put this in a blogroll at some point, but for today I just want to compile a list of my friends who have blogs (or is that vice versa?), to celebrate the connectedness (and persistence!) that makes growing older so enjoyable.

  • Ecclesiastes 6 Mid-Libre Crisis

    Questions: Is it good to have it all? Even if we don’t enjoy it? Can we ever know what is good for us? What efforts — if any — will be rewarded? Will what comes after show us to be wise, or fools? “Read More” to pursue answers from Ecclesiastes.

  • Ecclesiastes 5 Don’t Push Your Luck

    Questions: Of what use is religion? What kind of words are pleasing to God? Will we be held accountable? Will they* To what should we give our time and effort? What can we expect in return? Should we expect “evil” — “Read More” to pursue answers from Ecclesiastes.

  • Ecclesiastes 4 To Death; Working, Yourself

    Questions: Is life worth living? Even when crushed by injustice? Is it worth keeping up with the Joneses? Is it worth keeping ourselves up? Is anything more important than love? Isn’t wisdom? Does any of it matter? “Read More” to pursue answers in Ecclesiastes.

  • Ecclesiastes 3 Turn! Turn! Turn!

    Questions: Is there really a purpose in everything that happens? Is there really a good time for war, killing, and hate? Does it really matter what we do? Are we any better off than the beasts? Click “Read More” to pursue answers from Ecclesiastes.

  • Ecclesiastes 2 He-Done-Ism

    Questions: Is it better to play hard or work hard? Is pleasure the ultimate good? Is there anything worth striving for? What is left after everything has been done? Does the one who dies with the most toys win? Will death make fools of us all? “Read More” to pursue…

  • Ecclesiastes 1 So Vain

    Questions: What is worth pursuing? Is anything? Why do we bother? Are we fools? Are the wise any better off? “Read More” to pursue answers from Ecclesiastes.

  • John 21 Fishing for Answers

    Questions: For what are the disciples fishing? For what is Jesus fishing? Do they get what they’re looking for? How? In the end, will it matter? Why? “Read More” to pursue answers in the Gospel of John.