Wyatt Graham

Faith | Books | Culture

Does God have Emotions?

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Christians claim God is impassible—without passions. For example, the Westminster Confession of Faith affirms, God is “without body, parts, or passions” (2.1). For most people, this seems to affirm God has no emotions under the reasonable assumption that passions are emotions.

But such a teaching, although everywhere present in the history of Christianity, seems at variance with biblical teaching. The Bible often says God is angry, for example. Does this mean God is a passionate and emotional God? 

To answer that question, I want to reargue key reasons why Christians hold God to be impassible. Afterwards, I will answer the question, Does God have emotions?  [Read more…] about Does God have Emotions?

Is Wrath an Attribute of God?

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A reason why there is asymmetry in the statements “God is love” and “God is wrath” is because God is eternally love—the Spirit often described poetically as the bond of love in the life of the triune God. By contrast, it’s hard to think what it might mean for God to eternally be wrath. Father, Son, and Spirit love Godself; does God wrath himself?

[Read more…] about Is Wrath an Attribute of God?

Byung-Chul Han’s “Burnout Society”

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Byung-Chul Han argues that burnout is a pathology of a society that focuses on achievement and activity.

Further, burnout follows from this sort of society that has moved away from a disciplinary society in which the primary motivator was external punishment or prohibition to an achievement based society in which we feel as though we have limitless possibility.

We can do. That is the attitude many in the West share. And because we can do, we motivate ourselves by this sense of freedom to continue and repeatedly make and create.

We have no end point. We reinvent ourselves. We work harder under the imperative or compulsion to do more. This sense of freedom means that we are not forced into such activity, but we feel enabled or freed up to act as we wish.

However, society also has to reckon with its massive mental health pandemic.

[Read more…] about Byung-Chul Han’s “Burnout Society”

Irresponsible thoughts on Hermeneutics, or Is Israel’s Kingdom the kingdom of God?

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Gregory of Nyssa believed that when Jesus prayed “your kingdom come,” the Lord referred to the Holy Spirit (Matt 6:10). The Spirit of Jesus came down, and God’s will was done on earth. God reigns in this way. 

Does any particular aspect of the Lord’s prayer lead to Gregory’s conclusion? It depends on how one answers the following question: Is the kingdom of Israel the kingdom of God? If one answers no because no particular text ties Israel’s kingdom to God’s kingdom, then one will almost certainly say no to Gregory’s interpretation.  [Read more…] about Irresponsible thoughts on Hermeneutics, or Is Israel’s Kingdom the kingdom of God?

What Socrates can Teach us About MAiD

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The Nicene Creeds affirms that the Son is begotten of the Father and not made of God (since he Himself is divine). This observation flows from the common sense observation that human parents beget children and God makes them as Creator.

MAiD either administers drugs or asks a patient to take a drug that terminates their life. Criminals used to die in this way, as Socrates did. Socrates drank the hemlock cup as a criminal punishment for his impiety and for corrupting the youth.

Now, Socrates did not believe he was committing suicide, since he belied suicide was morally wrong. He reasoned that our bodies are not our own but belong to God. We destroy what God owns, our bodies.

Christians have agreed. God made us. We belong to him. We are the sheep of his pasture. But MAiD presents us with a huge challenge since those who apply for MAiD are: Incurably ill and advancing quickly to death. [Read more…] about What Socrates can Teach us About MAiD

Is Song of Songs Allegorical? Five Questions I Might ask of the text

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As Hosea and Hagar are real people but also signify God and Israel, so it’s possible that Solomon and the Shulammite can be real people who also signify God and his people.

Once you grant this possibility, then you can ask of the Bible some questions such as: [Read more…] about Is Song of Songs Allegorical? Five Questions I Might ask of the text