Dr Paul Allen

  "On the third day, he rose from the dead." Etched in my memory from childhood are those lines from a familiar Easter hymn in evangelical circles, "He Lives": "You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart." Despite the warmth that such sentiment offers, it hardly fits the bill sketched out by the Apostle Peter: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" ( 1 Pet. 3:15 ).  Many ideas can be, and often are, embraced by the heart that are simply wrong. Santa Claus and the tooth fairy may be harmless childhood myths, but when we are making claims about eternal matters, emotionally useful fantasies will not suffice.  Eventually, we grow up, and if our understanding of the Christian truth-claims does not mature as well, we are likely to be blown about by the trendy gusts of whim. In an informal survey of evangelical Christians recently, nearly everyone agreed with the statem...

  Here is what Chat GDP said: 1. Why is there suffering and evil in the world? "Why do bad things happen to good people?" "Where are you suffering?" "Why did this happen to me/my loved ones?" This is perhaps the most universal and emotionally charged question Christians bring to God, especially in times of grief or tragedy. 2. What is your will for my life? "What should I do next?" "What is my calling or purpose?" "Am I on the right path?" Christians often seek divine guidance for big life decisions—career, relationships, ministry, etc.—hoping for clarity and direction. 3. Do you really love me / have you forgiven me? "Am I truly accepted?" "Can you forgive what I’ve done?" "Why do I still feel distant from you?" This taps into core concerns about grace, guilt, shame, and assurance—especially in traditions that emphasize personal salvation. 4. Why do you f...

There are two ways in which my fellow Italians are trying to handle the fears that the COVID-19 emergency is spreading around us. The secular way is to use the phrase Tutto andrà bene, meaning “all will go well.” It is obsessively written in blog posts, pictures, and messages that people exchange with frenzy. It is used as a secular mantra in an attempt to exorcise the worries of the pandemic. The hope that all will go well is grounded in the promises of medicine to cure the sick and in science to quickly find a vaccine. Of course, we are extremely grateful for the help of doctors and nurses, for whom we pray. Yet, we know that not all of the sick will survive even with the help of modern medicine. Ultimately, sooner or later, we will all die. Yes, we are also hopeful in the new discoveries of scientists, and we support medical research, but we know that COVID-19 is just one of the threats to our lives. For all its wonderful achievements, even science will capitulate to the inexorabili...

I just read the news that Marty Sampson, a popular Hillsong songwriter, is leaving the faith. In his words, “I’m genuinely losing my faith … and it doesn’t bother me.” What I find most surprising is not him turning from his faith . People fall away all the time, and there are warnings throughout the New Testament about the dangers of apostasy. It is tragic to behold, but not a total surprise. “No One Talks About It”? What is surprising is Marty seems to feel that “no one” is talking about challenges to the Christian faith. “No one” is discussing difficult intellectual issues. “No one” is engaging the apparent contradictions or interpretative problems in the Bible. I can only ask (with sadness rather than condemnation), “Marty, what Christian world have you been living in?” He asks, “How many preachers fall? Many. No one talks about it.” Really? I can only ask (with sadness rather than condemnation), “Marty, what Christian world have you been living in?” How many artic...