#012 Brad Jersak: Asking the Toughest Questions About God and Jesus (A More Christlike God)

#012 Brad Jersak: Asking the Toughest Questions About God and Jesus (A More Christlike God)

What are some of the toughest questions you have ever asked about God and Jesus?

You see, if you grew up in the church like me, chances are, at some point in your life, you started asking some difficult questions about God that your friends and family couldn't answer to your satisfaction. Did it matter? Well, maybe.

Here's the thing: questions have the capacity to strengthen your faith, or possibly even destroy it.

In this episode, I interview Brad Jersak. Brad is an author and teacher based in Abbotsford, BC. He's on faculty at Westminster Theological Centre (Cheltenham, UK), where he teaches New Testament and Patristics. He serves as adjunct faculty with St. Stephen's University (St. Stephen, NB). And he's also the senior editor of the CWR (Christianity Without the Religion) Magazine, which is based in Pasadena, CA. Some of his books include Can You Hear Me?, Her Gates Will Never Be Shut, and A More Christlike God.

IN THIS EPISODE, BRAD ANSWERS THE FOLLOWING:

• Can you tell us a little bit about A More Christlike God and why you wrote it? • Is there such a thing as "the God of the Bible"? • Is it possible that we find the kind of God we want to find in the Bible (God of peace/grace/anger/war)? • Humans have produced a vast pantheon of gods, how do we know what God is like? • There seems to be as many versions of God as there are people. How is your God the right one? • Are our ideas of God simply glorified projections of ourselves? • Walter Wink said, "atheism is the first step toward true worship." What exactly does that mean? • In your opinion, what are some of the false images of God? • Why does the "God of the Bible" seem so un-Christlike? • Why did it take so long for God to reveal himself perfectly in Jesus? • Mark Driscoll said he can't worship a Jesus he can beat up. What is your response? • How do we know your understanding of Jesus isn't just an upgraded version of yourself? • Did God punish Jesus for our sins on the cross? • What does the cross demonstrate about the nature of God? • How is the cross a response to the problem of suffering? • Who or what is Jesus saving us from? • In what sense do you believe Jesus died for us? • Can Jesus truly identify with a person who has been married, divorced, molested, or raped? • Isn't it arrogant to talk about God's nature? Who are we to say? • Is God free to do whatever he pleases (even things considered to be evil in our eyes)? • Why is God so violent? Didn't he even command genocide in the Bible? • Does God have a dark and wrathful side that balances out his goodness and love? • If God is in control, then why is there so much chaos in this world? • If God is such a loving Father, then why is there so much suffering? • Why doesn't God protect us from natural disasters? • Desmond Tutu says that "God does nothing without a human partner"? Do you agree? • You say that God operates in the world by consent. What do you mean by that? • According to you, what is "The Beautiful Gospel"? • What is "The Gospel in Chairs"? • Hector Avalos argues, in The Bad Jesus, that Jesus is flawed. What is your response?

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LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

bradjersak.comBrad's new book More Christlike God Brad Jersak on YoutubeBrad Jersak on FacebookBrad Jersak on TwitterBrad Jersak on InstagramClarion Journal of Spirituality and Justice

Episoder(674)

Was Jesus PUNISHED by the Father? | Challenging Penal Substitution

Was Jesus PUNISHED by the Father? | Challenging Penal Substitution

WEBSITE: http://joshuatongol.com/ FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/joshuatongolpage TWITTER: http://twitter.com/JoshuaTongol What is wrong with the EVANGELICAL GOSPEL? Penal substitutionary theory is at the heart of the evangelical gospel. BUT what if it is WRONG? (Please not that this video is not necessarily meant to give a full-blown alternative theory to the atonement. Rather, it is meant to  merely provoke questions, create dialogue, and point out the problems of penal substitution.) Why does it matter? Our understanding of the Cross shapes our understanding of how we view God. And how we view God shapes the way we live. Problems with penal substitution: -Divides the Trinity -Distorts forgiveness -Contradicts the life and teachings of Jesus Christ -Misunderstands justice -Never found in parabolic form Recommended resources: "On The Incarnation Of The Word Of God" by Saint Athanasius "Stricken by God?" by Brad Jersak and Michael Hardin "The Jesus Driven Life" by Michael Hardin "A New Kind of Christianity" by Brian McLaren "Jesus and the Undoing of Adam" by C. Baxter Kruger "Parable of the Dancing God" by C. Baxter Kruger "Kingdom, Grace, Judgment: Paradox, Outrage, and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus" by Robert Farrar Capon "Razing Hell" by Sharon Baker Soundtrack: "Ambient Night" by Eugene Serov (SZ Music)

2 Mai 201214min

Being the Church (Organic Church)

Being the Church (Organic Church)

Are you tired of "going" to church? Sick of superficial, ministry-based-only friendships? Bored of passively listening to sermons at a service? How does the New Testament describe the body of Christ? Let this audio be a challenge and encouragement to those who attend institutional churches. Are you looking for something more? I have been accused of being against the church. That is simply not true. Listen to what it means to BE THE CHURCH.

6 Mar 20121h 36min

Will the Real Gospel Please Stand Up?

Will the Real Gospel Please Stand Up?

What is the real Gospel? Sadly, the Gospel today is no longer GOOD NEWS. In many ways, the "good news" being preached today is really BAD NEWS. Many ministers today are preaching an angry, violent, and judgmental God where GOOD NEWS has lost it's meaning. The gospel of grace has turned into a gospel of performance. The God of peace has turned into a God of violence and hatred. And the God of unconditional love has turned into a God of "I love you IF..." This sermon will create a huge paradigm shift for many people. Some will get upset, while others will be liberated. Please listen to the entire message (6 parts) in order to get the full context of what Joshua is saying. Here are the things that will be covered in the message: -What is not the Gospel -A challenge to penal substitutionary theory -What (or Who) is the Gospel? -Adoption -Identification -Who is born again? -Why did Jesus come and die? -Jesus is greater than Adam -"Receiving" Christ -Saved by whose faith? -Biblical repentance -Why preach the Gospel?

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According to Dictionary.com, a "sacred cow" is "an individual, organization, institution, etc., considered to be exempt from criticism or questioning." Throughout the body of Christ there have been many ideas that have been left unquestioned. It is time to challenge them.

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Love, Dating, and Relationships

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Is there such a person as The One? Should we kiss dating goodbye? How far is too far? Listen as Joshua Tongol answers questions such as these.

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Is tithing biblical? A more important question might be: is tithing Christian? Understand what giving looks like under grace.

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Is fasting for today? How should we understand fasting under the new covenant?

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What Does Prayer Look Like Under Grace?

This is a discussion about what prayer can look like when a person is under grace?

5 Mar 20121h 7min

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