Dan Kent Can Write

The God Machine

March 29, 2023

The humming noise seems to originate behind a set of industrial doors. The signs on the doors say AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY and DO NOT ENTER. But they left the door unlocked and, after a quick scan around for surveillance systems or supervising eyes, I press the release bar and open the door. No alarm goes…

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I Saw the Biggest Spider Ever in Peru and My Pants Were Down

March 22, 2023

In 2008, if you wanted to get to Machu Picchu, you had to take a long, blue train that rolled slowly through Peru’s jungle and mountains. The train stopped several times along the way so riders could refresh, and maybe shop, at little shanty markets, with buildings made of concrete blocks, plywood, and thatch roofs.…

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What Was So Funny?

March 19, 2023

I carry something precious deep inside me but I cannot access it. I possess an absolute treasure-trove that sparkles and glows somewhere just out of reach. I think you possess it, too. You have the same rich history of hilarious moments, of riotous, watery-eyed laughter. I’ve laughed so hard in my life, and the euphoria…

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Levitating with Augustine

March 3, 2023

Somewhere in my early teens I wanted to levitate. The thought of defying gravity struck me as an obvious life skill only a fool would neglect. I went to the library and secured the appropriate book: Yoga & Meditation for Beginners. I remember a man on the cover sitting in a yoga pose with his…

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To Judge or Not to Judge? Seeking God Among the Pigs and the Dogs (Matthew 7:6)

November 10, 2022

Jesus kicks off Matthew 7 with a firm warning about the dangers of judgement, then follows this up by mocking those who judge the speck of dust in the eyes of others. On its own, I consider this teaching against judgement challenging, but also compelling and thoroughly coherent. If the teaching ended with verse 5,…

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A Writer’s Venn for Writing-Zen

June 18, 2022

Let me share with you the nature of my toil. I’ve got all this stuff in my head that I believe you would enjoy having in your head. That’s why I write. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. A great distance lies between my head and yours, with terrible obstacles in the space…

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The ONLY Truly Creative Thing We Can Do

June 4, 2022

I daydream often. Lately, in my fog of contemplation, I’ve pondered a question about creativity: Can a person truly be creative? So far I keep coming back to the same conclusion: The only truly creative thing we can create is how we treat the world and others. We do not truly create anything else. Everything…

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What “Man Gave Names to All the Animals” REALLY Means

June 4, 2022

“So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field.” Genesis 2:20 In the fog of our over-Googled, ‘Hey Siri,’ information-obsessed minds I believe we may be looking upon the story of Adam-naming-the-animals with dull eyes. When we hear the story we imagine Adam mechanically identify…

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The Universe is a Crime Scene

May 31, 2022

I’m conflicted. Most scientists tingle with suspicion at any hypothesis about the natural world that even vaguely smells like “intelligent design.” I don’t blame them! Christian thinkers have historically embarrassed themselves with their eagerness to find God everywhere. Wherever you look in history, whenever some ambiguous phenomenon or some unexplained thing perplexes humanity, there you…

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15 Reasons Open Theism is TRUE (a reply to Andrew Wilson)

May 20, 2022

Recently, Andrew Wilson shared an impressive critique of open theism called: “Responding To Open Theism In Fourteen Words.” Andrew’s article didn’t persuade me, but it did challenge me (seriously!). Below I will respond to each of the words Andrew presents. But first I will add one word of my own (if Andrew gets 14 words,…

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