Essays

Academic Essays by Steven Colborne

I wrote the following essays during my postgraduate studies at Heythrop College, University of London. I hold the copyright to these essays and they are not to be reproduced, in part or in whole, without my written permission. You are welcome to download these PDFs for the purpose of private reading or group discussion.

God and Suffering: Approaches and Issues

This essay looks at the problem of whether or not God suffers. I present four principle ways that God could be said to suffer, and discuss each of these in depth, and I try to discern which argument is the most realistic. I finish by presenting possible objections to my favoured argument, and describe how these can be overcome. Complete with footnotes and full bibliography.

The Human Soul in Plato and Christianity

This essay looks at the dialogues composed by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, and attempts to discern what they say about the human soul. Plato’s views are contrasted with a Christian perspective as I explore what the Bible and key theologians have said about the soul. The composition of the soul, the pre-existence of the soul (before birth), and reincarnation are also discussed. Complete with footnotes and a full bibliography.

Other Essays

Here I share essays written by myself and others that have helped shape my spiritual journey and my walk with Christ. All essays in this section are shared with the authors’ permission and are available as free PDF downloads for private reading or group discussion. Please contact the author (contact details at the end of each essay) if you wish to use their writing in any other way.

Essay by Alan Millis on Forgiveness (From Victim to Victor)

In this essay, Alan Millis examines a passage in the Gospel of Matthew that is key to the subject of forgiveness. After sharing his own testimony, Alan unpacks how the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant can teach us how and why we can and must forgive those who have hurt us.

Dialogue on Key Philosophical Matters

This paper presents a conversation I had with a learned friend about a range of matters that are central to the study of theology and philosophy. The dialogue, which has been adapted from an email exchange that took place in 2012, covers subjects including panentheism, sacred texts, free will, and the nature of God.