Doctrinal Issues & Debates gathers Christian Standard articles that explore key theological questions and areas of disagreement within the Christian faith—especially as they affect church teaching, unity, and practice. Here you’ll find biblical analysis of contested doctrines, thoughtful engagement with differing viewpoints, and guidance for handling theological controversy with conviction, humility, and charity. These articles aim to help readers pursue truth faithfully, interpret Scripture responsibly, and navigate doctrinal differences in ways that honor Christ and build up the church.
February 25, 2007
A downloadable 10-page resource by Jack Cottrell from CHRISTIAN STANDARD examining the essence and errors of Calvinism, including sovereignty and free will, the T-U-L-I-P doctrines, Calvinism’s history, and a bibliography on Calvinism and Arminianism.
February 25, 2007
As Calvinism gains renewed attention, three Christian church leaders discuss free will and God’s sovereignty, the influence of Calvinist writers, and concerns about methodology, sacraments, and evangelical identity.
February 21, 2007
An editor explains why this issue devotes significant space to Calvinism, noting its renewed influence and potential to divide. The series aims to help readers pursue biblical doctrine and God’s glory with clarity, humility, and charity.
February 11, 2007
What does it mean to be called “Christian”? Clint Gill traces the term back to Antioch in Acts, showing how it points to a new identity in Christ that reshapes how believers see themselves and others.
November 26, 2006
Why did open theism emerge, and what does it claim about God’s foreknowledge? Paul Kissling explores time, language, sovereignty, and prayer in a thoughtful look at a debated doctrine.
November 26, 2006
Open theism claims God lacks meticulous foreknowledge. Patrick Nullens offers six reasons this model conflicts with Scripture, historic Christian consensus, and a robust view of God’s sovereignty, providence, and pastoral comfort.
November 19, 2006
A child’s question—does God know the word “perhaps”?—opens a thoughtful look at divine foreknowledge. This article contrasts classical theism with open theism’s claim that the future includes genuine contingencies.
November 19, 2006
Paul Kissling examines biblical themes often linked to open theism, highlighting God’s active involvement with humanity, the conditional nature of many promises, and the scriptural evidence that God truly feels.
November 19, 2006
A guided list of essential books on open theology—from the academic volume that launched the discussion to accessible introductions, critiques, and debates comparing the classic view of God and the open model.
August 27, 2006
Jeff Vines answers a skeptic’s hardest question: How could a loving God send anyone to Hell? He explains Jesus’ use of gehenna and argues the deepest horror of Hell is separation from God.
August 27, 2006
Dave Stone makes a biblical case that Hell is a literal reality, marked by intense and eternal suffering, and urges readers to respond to Christ’s saving grace with a personal choice for eternity.
July 30, 2006
A newly translated Gospel of Judas manuscript has revived interest in Gnosticism. Henry E. Webb explains key Gnostic beliefs and why the early church rejected this text from the New Testament canon.
By Vince Antonucci “Hi, I heard your radio ad and I was wondering if I can come to your church? You see, I”m gay, but you seem like a church that might welcome everyone. Thanks, Annette.” We promoted our church”s opening day with radio ads on secular rock stations. I received that question from Annette, and my in-box quickly filled with e-mails asking the same question. I am perplexed. I want to e-mail my own question to churches: Why do gay people need to ask this question? God Incarnate Recently, I received another e-mail. It was from the CHRISTIAN STANDARD:
November 20, 2005
Donald A. Nash explains why grace and law belong together under the new covenant. Without God’s law, sin is undefined and grace is unnecessary—but Scripture presents commandments as loving, life-giving guidance.
November 6, 2005
Using Ephesians 4:1-6, Clint Gill explains the church as constitutionally one—an organic unity grounded in one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.
September 18, 2005
Many Christians describe gospel “benefits,” but Scripture repeatedly summarizes the good news as God’s kingdom. John Nugent explains what the kingdom means and why recovering kingdom language can strengthen the church’s witness today.
August 28, 2005
By Tom Lawson The first hymn in Alexander Campbell”s 1834 hymnal lifts up these words of praise: Before Jehovah”s awful1 throne, Ye nations, bow with sacred joy; Know that the Lord is God alone; He can create, and He destroy. . This image of an all-powerful God, who can both create and destroy, calling the nations before him, is given scant attention in worship these days. For the theologically liberal, talk of God standing in judgment of the world is a source of frank embarrassment. For theological conservatives, however, the concept is also quietly avoided as a focus of worship.
June 26, 2005
Mark A. Matson revisits the Stone-Campbell Movement’s long pursuit of unity and engages Rubel Shelly and John York’s The Jesus Proposal, urging churches to center fellowship on relationship with Jesus rather than secondary disputes.
June 19, 2005
Rubel Shelly uses The Da Vinci Code as a metaphor in modern theology debates, warning that preset scholarly criteria and popular pseudoscholarship can unsettle believers who lack grounding in Scripture and church history.
June 19, 2005
A Theology 101 look at God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence—seen in creation, redemption, and providence—grounded in Scripture and illustrated with thoughtful examples.
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April 28, 2026
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