In Mark 14:32-42, we find Jesus in Gethsemane with some of his disciples. He takes a few (Peter, James, and John) a little way off from the rest and asks them to stay awake with him. Here is what it says: 32 They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34 And he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” 35 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” 37 He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38 Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he we...

Consistent theology refers to a system of beliefs about, and postures toward, God that is as consistent as possible within itself. The more pieces you add to a system, the more complicated it becomes. The more complicated it becomes, the harder it is to keep it consistent. I talked about that in my other post, Consistent Theology , but I didn’t talk much there about why it’s difficult to have a consistent theology. To understand that, I think we have to talk about first premises. What Is a First Premise? A first premise is the beginning or starting point of a line of reasoning. Definitionally, that's a pretty easy concept. If I say, “bananas are good,” then I can build all kinds of logical arguments about bananas and believe all kinds of things about bananas and how they relate to me or fit into my lifestyle — arguments that are built off of this idea that bananas are good. This is the kind of approach that people use every day to reason about almost anything. Sometimes,...

I speak often, and perhaps I have written often, about consistency in theology. It is one of the most important things to me in my pursuit of God that what I choose to believe be consistent with itself. Any theology, philosophy, or posture that is unwilling to subject itself to cyclical and reciprocal examination for the sake of consistency is not worth having. What Is Theology? Theology is the study of God or gods, but it can also refer to a system of belief or understanding about God, which is how I use it here. A person’s theology is their personal understanding about God that informs how they live and what they choose to do. It’s possible that a community might have a shared theology, a system of beliefs or understandings about God that guides their communal lives, but I usually refer to those shared theologies as doctrines or postures. My experience is that as communal doctrines or postures are examined in the context of each person’s life, differences in understanding rev...

He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-39, NRSV One can’t pursue the core of Christianity without considering this passage. The greatest commandment, according to Jesus, is one that held a central place in Israelite history, and Jesus confirms its importance for his disciples when he answers this question: what is the greatest commandment? But, the greatest commandment isn’t our topic. Jesus identifies the second greatest commandment (unsolicited): love your neighbor as yourself. He says this is like the first (love God). I don’t know how many times I’ve talked about loving your neighbor or heard others talk about it, but that isn’t our topic, either. Our topic is what surrounds that second commandment. It’s the part that gives us a frame of referen...