The Bible does not shy away from the reality of suffering. In fact, it is one of the most common themes throughout Scripture. Some Christians believe that God is the author and orchestrator of all our suffering. They believe that God allows suffering to happen for a reason, even if we don’t always understand what that reason is. From the book of Job to the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, we see that suffering is a part of the human experience.... Read more
If you stop believing in God, it doesn’t take away the pain, it just takes away the hope I was interviewed by Laura Wright in our lovely Highwoods Country Park for BBC Songs of Praise which is now available on BBC iPlayer and anywhere else you can view this long running religious program. The episode is entitled Colchester’s Christian Heritage as most of it was filled in the UK’s oldest or newest city depending on how you look at it.... Read more
Working with chatGPT I have created a list of the top 15 books on Jesus’ resurrection, ranked by importance based on several criteria. Our list includes the following books. Each book has a summary quote which either comes from the book or was written by the AI to reflect the content of the book. ChatGPT also wrote a summary of the importance of each book. 1. Wright, N.T. (2003) The Resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press. The message... Read more
Today marks the day when, six years ago, my life changed forever as I was diagnosed with blood cancer. That night I experienced the first of many sleepless, tearful nights. Or was the day that changed my life the 28 April 2017 – the day I got sick, was admitted to hospital, and remained severely unwell with pneumonia for several weeks? Both dates are forever etched in my mind. The gap between them feels so long as I go through... Read more
Tim Keller has died and passed into glory with Jesus. Here’s how the news was reported by his church: Timothy J. Keller, who was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, co-founder of Redeemer City to City, and the author of several books, died at the age of 72 on May 19, trusting in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his three sons and their wives, a... Read more
Suffering is an inevitable part of the human experience, and for many, it raises difficult questions about God’s role in our pain. This series of articles aim to explore the theological spectrum of different views on suffering. We will explore the way Christians differ about how much we view God as responsible for, sovereign over, or merely an observer of the suffering we experience in this world. By examining various perspectives and their implications on our emotional well-being and faith,... Read more
God’s grace can manifest in many ways. For three years I have been praying for safety from covid and also making what seemed like common sense adjustments to my life to avoid catching it. It was a bit like what Cromwell said to his troops “trust in God but keep your gunpowder dry!” I was set on avoiding covid, so when it finally caught up with me I was rather concerned. But my prayers and the prayers of others were... Read more
Suffering is an inevitable part of life, and for many people, faith plays a significant role in navigating through these difficult times. Christian literature has long provided comfort, guidance, and wisdom for those experiencing pain and loss. In this article, we have enlisted the help of ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, to rank the top 20 Christian books on suffering. Drawing from various perspectives and addressing different aspects of this complex topic, these books offer timeless wisdom and... Read more
Are you struggling to make sense of suffering in the world and wondering about God’s role in it? In this new series of articles, written with help from ChatGPT 4.0, I introduce a new way of outlining the very different ways Christians address questions about God’s power, responsibility, and love. By delving into bible verses, theological quotes, and personal stories, we aim to provide insight and clarity about this complex issue. Whether you are questioning your faith or seeking to... Read more
There’s so much pain and suffering in this world. That happy person you are envious of might be carrying a pain you are not aware of. And many lose their faith as a result of unbearable pain in their lives. One of my fellow Patheos authors writes: People who are sick and hurt and dying want rest, healing and hope. They need comfort right where it hurts the most. But what happens when the religion you offer them... Read more
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