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Joel J. Miller

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Evangelical

2011-11-10T00:05:05-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Defending absolutes

Last updated on: November 10, 2011 at 12:05 am By Joel J. Miller

In our culture today, to believe in — much less confess and defend — absolutes is deemed arrogant. To insist that something is one way and not another provokes charges of egotism, presumption, and superiority. That’s tricky for Christians because we absolutely believe in absolutes. (more…) Read more

Patrick Henry Reardon

2011-11-09T13:37:01-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The cult of agreeableness

Last updated on: November 9, 2011 at 1:37 pm By Joel J. Miller

Joel Osteen’s disturbing inability to say that Mormonism is something other than Christian reflects a particular affliction from which our culture suffers. I’m not sure what to call it other than the cult of agreeableness, a widespread tendency to avoid disagreement, conflict, and contradiction whenever possible, a disposition to never draw hard lines for fear that we’ll upset or make ourselves unattractive by the action. (more…) Read more

Society

agreeableness

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

the cult of agreeableness

2011-11-04T07:29:32-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The kindergarten rules

Last updated on: November 4, 2011 at 7:29 am By Joel J. Miller

Here are some lessons you’re supposed to learn as a child that will definitely serve you when you’re older: Don’t touch that. Say please. Use your words. Say your prayers. Don’t beat up the little guys; they might grow up bigger than you. Play nice. If you break the rules, it won’t go well. When you’ve done something wrong, you should go to your room and think about what you’ve done. Don’t sit with your stinky stuff too long; it’ll... Read more

2012-11-16T13:53:21-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Looking for the absent God

Last updated on: November 16, 2012 at 1:53 pm By Joel J. Miller

The early Christians and later patristic writers read the Old Testament with a view to Christ. They saw his shadow in the law, the prophets, and the writings like Psalms. They also saw him in the Song of Solomon, seeing in the Hebrew love poem a picture of Christ and the church. (more…) Read more

2011-11-01T19:46:49-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Faith as I saw it in Uganda

Last updated on: November 1, 2011 at 7:46 pm By Joel J. Miller

I knew the sound the second I heard it, a loud sustained cry, undulating but strong. “Is that the call to prayer?” I asked Eva, a Christian woman operating a small crafts shop. “It is for Muslims,” she said. (more…) Read more

2012-12-06T09:49:50-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Testing in the Christian life

Last updated on: December 6, 2012 at 9:49 am By Joel J. Miller

My son Fionn held up two toy cars. “Which one is faster?” he asked. I gave him my answer and he said, “No. Neither is faster. It depends on who is driving them.” Trick question. I confess to being a little irritated in that moment by this answer. “Then why ask me which one?” I asked. Oblivious to my irritation, Fionn answered with a question: “What’s the point of a test if you don’t learn something?” That’s an interesting answer.... Read more

2012-11-28T15:11:28-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why Mormons aren’t Christians

Last updated on: November 28, 2012 at 3:11 pm By Joel J. Miller

Mormons have been trying to pass as mainstream Christians for some time now. They're not. Here's why and why it matters. Read more

Theology

Doctrine and Covenants

2013-07-11T16:15:05-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On judging Joel Osteen

Last updated on: July 11, 2013 at 4:15 pm By Joel J. Miller

It turns out that criticizing Joel Osteen ruffles feathers. Perhaps this shouldn’t surprise. His congregation is more than forty-thousand strong, his sermons air worldwide, and his book sales are stratospheric. He’s got more than a few fans available to take offense at someone holding his feet to the fire. In response to my piece Friday, “The insufferable Joel Osteen,” several people said that I was “judging” Osteen, which is a considerable no-no. I was told I should be ashamed and... Read more

Theology

Joel Osteen

judging

The Insufferable Joel Osteen

2013-03-09T07:03:41-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The insufferable Joel Osteen

Last updated on: March 9, 2013 at 7:03 am By Joel J. Miller

Few things rub me the wrong way as much as poseurs masquerading as pastors. If that sounds unduly harsh, forgive me, but I don’t think this is undue. Al Mohler recently published a piece on Joel Osteen’s equation of Mormonism with evangelical and Catholic Christianity. (more…) Read more

2013-02-28T13:08:11-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Patched, not discarded

Last updated on: February 28, 2013 at 1:08 pm By Joel J. Miller

A soldier came upon a monk and asked him if a repentant man would be received by God. He was worried that God might reject him. “Would you discard your coat if it were torn?” asked the monk. “No,” said the man, perhaps at that moment grasping the garment. “I’d patch it and keep wearing it.” “If you would take such care of your coat,” said the monk, “won’t God show even greater care for his own image, which you... Read more

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