Resources by Daniel McCoy:
How Should Christians Think about Abortion? Q&A with Dr. John D. Ferrer
How should Christians think about abortion? Dr. John D. Ferrer, president of Pella Pro-Life and teaching fellow with Equal Rights Institute, answers questions about what Roe v Wade did, what the Bible teaches about abortion, and how Christians can effectively and faithfully respond to the abortion debate and other issues surrounding abortion. Q: What exactly...
Daniel McCoy
Theology Is Intimidating—But Not for the Reason We Think
It was my first semester enrolled in seminary. Seminary was a distance-learning, part-time thing for me; most days, I was busy teaching Bible, language arts, and speech at a Christian school. At one point during that first semester, I was transporting kids back from a speech competition when one of the students saw the book I had brought...
Daniel McCoy
What Is the Oldest Religion? Q&A with World Religions Scholar Winfried Corduan
Why is it important to ask, “What is the oldest religion?” In the Bible, we see hints that the very first religion was based on experience with one God (monotheism), but is there good evidence to support this? So, what is the oldest religion? Some scholars will answer by picking what appears to be the...
Daniel McCoy
Is Gambling a Sin? An Honest Exploration from a Christian Perspective
Is gambling a sin? Gambling is risking a wager on a game in order to win a prize. Although there are some who experience gambling as something rewarding and fun, it tends toward being highly addictive and potentially ruinous. The Bible doesn’t call gambling a sin as such, although the Bible warns against the love...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Patience in the Bible? Exploring the World’s Toughest Virtue
Patience in the Bible is the ability to endure difficult people and situations without giving into anger or giving up hope. Because God continues to show us patience when we are doing disappointing things, we can show others patience when they disappoint us. Is patience the toughest virtue because it’s tough to cultivate—or because it’s...
Daniel McCoy
Good Friday Quiz: Score Yourself on a Scale from Jehovah’s Witness to Joel Osteen.
“Good Friday” is a fascinating name for a commemoration of history’s worst injustice. Just how should we feel on such a day? “Good” suggests happy, but that Friday was anything but. “Friday” references the day on which Satan wielded every cruel tool he possessed in order to mutilate and humiliate history’s most innocent person. It was...
Daniel McCoy
Are There Generational Curses? What the Bible Teaches on the Subject
Are there generational curses? You’ve probably noticed physical traits passed from generation to generation in your family. But what about spiritual and moral traits? Is there anything hereditary about spirituality? Although the Bible describes the consequences of sin passing from generation to generation, one of its central messages is that God’s grace and power are...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Liberation Theology? What It Teaches and Why It Matters
Liberation theology is a way of seeing theology as primarily something you do in order to help oppressed people. Although it started with Marxist-influenced Latin American theologians, this way of framing theology has expanded into additional liberation movements, such as black theology and feminist theology. Theology is a good thing. Liberation from oppression is a...
Daniel McCoy
What Is Process Theology? Definition and Evaluation
What is process theology? Process theology teaches that everything that exists—including God—is in an eternal process of growing and becoming. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean a chaotic mess, since God and the world exist in mutual interdependence. And God is constantly luring the world to good values. When I picture “process theology,” I’m reminded of...
Daniel McCoy
Discipling Minds for This Cultural Moment
Part of Christian discipleship is to disciple minds. In order to help us disciple minds for this cultural moment, we will explore three questions about current Western culture. You know those “You are here” signs in malls and amusement parks and on hiking trails? At one time or another, many of us have found ourselves...
Is the New Testament Reliable? An Answer in 11 Numbers.
Is the New Testament reliable? Can we know what the original documents said, and can we trust that the authors were telling the truth? Here are 11 numbers which help explain why I trust the New Testament. 1. 5,800+ manuscripts There are over 5,800 handwritten copies (manuscripts) of parts of the New Testament in its...
Daniel McCoy
An Easy Way to Learn Scripture Every Morning
We moved close to a burger restaurant which I immediately fell in love with. The first couple times I got their signature burger, I was in heaven. But a burger can be so good that it’s bittersweet. Let me explain: It’s one of those foods which makes you feel a deep sadness as you get over halfway...
Daniel McCoy
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Why does God allow suffering? God allows suffering because it is a byproduct of sin. Sin happens because God gave us free will, even though he opposes sin and helps us overcome it when we are willing. God gave us free will because he loves us. And although suffering is not a good thing in...
Daniel McCoy
Who’s Constantine the Great? The Story of the Emperor and the Church
Who’s Constantine and what should we think of the relationship between him and the church? Constantine the Great is remembered as the first Christian emperor of Rome. His conversion to Christianity led many Christians to ask for his interventions into church matters. The result was some theological clarity (i.e., the Council of Nicea) as well...
Daniel McCoy
Are We There Yet? Here’s an Invitation to Join a Groaning Creation.
Just as we are invited to join all creation in glorifying God, we are also invited to join a groaning creation in crying out to him. Hearing “Are we there yet?” from kids in the backseat had always sounded whiny to me. But this particular evening, I was in the backseat too, wondering how long...
Daniel McCoy
Is Christian Nationalism Faithfulness? 4 Lessons from the Constantine Years
What is Christian nationalism, and is it a current problem? A healthy patriotism becomes American Christian nationalism when it draws an essential connection between the US and Christianity and then uses that connection as a primary means for moving the kingdom of God forward. We can learn much about Christian nationalism’s allure from the Constantine...
Daniel McCoy