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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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How Can Faith Go Beyond the Evidence and Still Be Rational?

How Can Faith Go Beyond the Evidence and Still Be Rational?

It is natural to think that faith goes beyond the evidence. At the same time, many don’t want to say that faith is irrational – faith, both religious and non-religious, seems like an important part of a flourishing life. Here, I explore one way to make sense of this apparent tension. Before thinking about faith, let’s think about two other attitudes: belief and confidence. Believing something amounts to a commitment that the world is a particular way. When you believe somethi

Is the Resurrection Unbelievable?

Is the Resurrection Unbelievable?

Larry Shapiro’s recent piece “Why I Can’t Believe in the Resurrection” affords a welcome opportunity to review David Hume’s famous objection to belief in reported miracles. Shapiro’s reconstruction of that objection is simple and relatively straightforward, and in consequence it shares in both the virtues and the defects of Hume’s original argument. We are dealing here with probabilities and explanatory reasoning, so it is just as well for us to get clear on a few relatively

Yet It Was Not Consumed

Yet It Was Not Consumed

Based on Exodus 3:1-15 “Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness. It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life...Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying: ‘You are accepted.’” ~Paul Tillich The sand was dusty and hot as he watched his sheep hustle from mouthful to mouthful. The breeze died for a moment and he could hear the click and whir of insects risin

An Objection to Religious Faith

An Objection to Religious Faith

Some people, like the New Atheists, are skeptical of the attitude of faith. They argue that faith, especially religious faith, is irrational. One way to see their argument is as follows: Those who have faith are irrational. Theistic believers have faith. Therefore, theistic believers are irrational. The issue with this argument is that it is unclear what faith is such that both (1) and (2) come out to be true. Let’s consider some possibilities. One might think faith just is