The Open Table

Theology and philosophy for the everyday person. There's a spot for you at the table.

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There are important conversations about faith, ethics, and ideas happening all the time, but joining in can seem daunting. The Open Table is the place to start. Featuring essays and articles from a diverse array of authors, we dive into topics that are important and relevant to the every day believer. Read. Comment. Share. Join the discussion. We saved you a seat.

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Disagreement, Dogs, and Doctrine

Disagreement, Dogs, and Doctrine

Since moving to a large city a fair amount of my life has had to change. I have a 60lb Goldendoodle who keeps me on my toes each day. We used to play at dog parks and have long sessions of fetch in the green spaces near our various homes. However, moving to the city has limited our options for exercise time as fences are in short supply and my pup is still fascinated with the entire squirrel population so fetch without a fence is simply not happening. Thus, we have turned to

Why Theology Matters: Part 2

Why Theology Matters: Part 2

When I was young I was pretty good at math. I never liked it, but I was pretty good at it. There was one problem: I was never good at showing my work. I’d come up with the right answer, but not follow the steps. That never bothered me when I was young, because all I cared about was the right answer. It wasn’t until much later that I realized why my teachers told me to show my work: if I can’t explain how I got the answer, I’ll never be able to figure out where I went wrong wh

"My Body, My Rights" -- Thoughts On a Common Pro-Choice Argument

"My Body, My Rights" -- Thoughts On a Common Pro-Choice Argument

As rumors swirl surrounding the potential retirement of Justice Kennedy from the Supreme Court next summer, the abortion debate is once again set to take center stage. But just how should we think through the debate over abortion? Sadly, this is an issue all-too often obscured by venom and vitriol, where both sides attempt to demonize the other at the expense of carefully considering the arguments for either position. In this post, I want to chart a different course. I want t

Why Theology Matters: Part 1

Why Theology Matters: Part 1

Here’s something I hear a lot when talking theology: “Do all those ideas even matter? I don’t care about that stuff, I just want to follow Jesus.” Honestly, I really connect with that line of thinking. I’m a pastor’s kid from the south. I just about drowned in the Bible belt. I grew up in a place where there were at least 2 churches for every denomination in every town and at least 4 Baptists. I remember thinking many times, “why can’t we just agree on Jesus and quit the argu

Does Jesus Agree with Peter Singer About Global Poverty?

Does Jesus Agree with Peter Singer About Global Poverty?

You're walking past a pond. Suddenly, you see a small child drowning. No one else is around to help her and you're an able swimmer. Do you have a moral obligation to save her? Intuitively, yes. What if doing so meant you'd ruin the fancy clothes you're wearing? Should you still do it? Intuitively, yes. The child is more valuable than the clothes. Raise the stakes. To save the child, you'll have to give up a fancy dinner you're heading to. Or to save the child you'd have to cr

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