Tag: personal beliefs

It’s been reported that the more we defend our beliefs, the more entrenched our beliefs become. We typically do not change our minds, though research indicates that religious belief decreases with analytical thinking.

All of us can relate to encountering someone with different beliefs, especially religious or political, which in turn causes us to feel threatened.

It’s been reported that the more we defend our beliefs, the more entrenched our beliefs become. We typically do not change our minds, though research indicates that religious belief decreases with analytical thinking.

All of us can relate to encountering someone with different beliefs, especially religious or political, which in turn causes us to feel threatened.

The phone rang. Upon answering, my dad was on the line to ask a question that, coming from him, took me by surprise. “What do you know about Calvinism?” Before I could respond, I heard my dad say, “Here is my daughter.” Shortly, I was on the phone with one of his paint contractors.

Is it possible to transcend one’s personal beliefs and opinions, and to what end?

In a series of posts, based on a paper I presented recently at the Pacific Northwest regional meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (May 11, Concordia University Portland), titled “Ways of Believing,” I will address this question.