Category: Theology
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Does Character Count? Does Virtue Matter?
"On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan explore why it appears that American society has jettisoned the importance of character and virtue for leadership, particularly in the realm of politics. Does character really count? Does virtue really matter?"
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Calmly Considered: A Discussion on Deconstruction
On this episode of "Calmly Considered," Michael and Allan discuss deconstruction particularly as it relates to religion and faith. What is deconstruction? Is it new or something that's been around for a long time? Is deconstruction present in the Bible? Was Jesus a deconstructionist?
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Calmly Considered: Scarcity or Abundance– Which Is Our World?
Last month, Dr. Allan Bevere and I got together to discuss the nuances of "scarcity and abundance" from theological perspectives. Too often people from the two fields talk past each other with unfair characterizations on this topic. Our conversation hopefully shines some light.
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Calmly Considered: How The Church Fails Businesspeople
Last week, I participated with Allan Bevere in a discussion centered on John Knapp's book "How The Church Fails Businesspeople (And What Can Be Done About It)." Discussion focuses on integrating our faith and working lives, with reflection on why that integration is so challenging.
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Calmly Considered: Economics, the New Testament, and the 21st Century (in podcast & videocast)
This is the first installment of a once-monthly series called Calmly Considered, in which Allan Bevere and I will be discussing topics related to faith and economics. In this episode, we discuss Peter Oakes' Empire, Economics, and the New Testament. We barely scratch the surface but hopefully some meaningful dialog.
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The Keynesian Revolution and Our Empty Economy: We’re All Dead – Book Review
The Keynesian Revolution and Our Empty Economy: We're All Dead (Quotes are from the e-book version.) Is economics value-free? Can it be? In the nineteenth century, economics emerged alongside other social sciences, aspiring to apply the scientific method to study human behavior. Economists distinguish positive and normative economics – positive being descriptive and normative being…
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ReFrame: Following Christ in the Modern Era
What does it mean to follow Christ in our era? That is the central question for Christians in any era, but it is particularly challenging today. Some suggest that our postmodern and post-Christendom context is creating a level of disruption in the Church not seen since the Reformation. I think that is likely true. So…
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“Nothing is Free: The Price Only Business can Pay to Protect Free Markets” by Dave Geenens – Book Review
Order at Amazon: Nothing is Free: The Price Only Business can Pay to Protect Free Markets. What is the purpose of business, particularly as it relates to the welfare of employees? Economists, business leaders, and theologians engage in endless debate about this topic. Regrettably, it tends to be two separate debates with economists and business…
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What Critics Misunderstand about Abundance and Cooperation in Economics
Critics of economics, particularly in the world of religion, frequently charge that the discipline is grounded in a mindset of scarcity and competition versus what they champion: abundance and cooperation. The critique is considerably overblown. First, economists recognize the world for what it is. Virtually nothing we use comes in usable form directly from nature.…