Posted by Sarah Henrich on 2/1/2013 6:20 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Cameron Howard, and Sarah Henrich. Article written by Sarah Henrich.
Was Jesus married -- and why do we care?
In the wake of the recent publication of a small (1.5-inch x 3-inch) piece of a Coptic (an ancient language of Egyptian Christians) manuscript, we suddenly have "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife" along with speculation about Jesus' marital status and the presumption that the Church -- that mythical, monolithic entity -- is suppressing the whole truth. …
Posted by Gracia Grindal on 1/1/2013 12:10 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Cameron Howard, and Gracia Grindal. Article written by Gracia Grindal.
What is heaven like? While I believe firmly in heaven, and I use the images of Revelation frequently in my hymns, what heaven will actually be like is beyond my imagination. If it has strained the poetic gifts and talents of two great poets, Dante and John Milton, who base their poetry on Scripture, it will be beyond my limited abilities to describe.
Yet a closer look at how John Milton …
Posted by Enter the Bible on 1/1/2013 12:05 AM
Songs and hymns that describe the glorious splendors of heaven abound.
One spiritual, "I Got Shoes," focuses on the basics -- shoes, a robe, wings, and a harp. And it promises freedom from hypocrisy: "Everybody talkin' 'bout heaven ain't goin' there."
The song depicts a simple, joyful freedom:
I got shoes, you got shoes, all God's children got shoes
When I get to heaven gonna put on my shoes
I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven, heaven, heaven
Everybody talkin' bout heaven ain't goin' there heaven, …
Posted by Enter the Bible on 12/10/2012 4:01 PM
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." These words from John 1:1 speak to the powerfully incarnational nature of Christ and the Scriptures. They are poetic, metaphorical and reality all at once. As we read the Scriptures, we yearn to understand and live what we find there, to make our faith tangible.
One simple gesture that can do this is to treat the Scriptures, the Bible that we hold in our hands, with reverence. If your congregation uses a gospel procession …
Posted by Fred Gaiser on 12/1/2012 8:00 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Kathryn Schifferdecker and Fred Gaiser.
Article written by Fred Gaiser.
One could, I think, answer this question too quickly, either with an “Of course!” or an “Of course not!”
The quick “Of course” could come from a faithful Christian who might then continue, “Yes! This is what I have heard every year during Advent or Lent, when the pastor read the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah about the birth of Immanuel (Isa 7 …
Posted by Terence E. Fretheim on 11/1/2012 8:50 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Kathryn Schifferdecker and Terence Fretheim.
Article written by Terence E. Fretheim.
When asked about their prayers, many people say that God has three answers available: Yes, No, and Wait (or some variation thereof). I invite you to consider an additional response: God has determined to answer prayers in a positive way, but God’s will to do so is being successfully resisted. This resistance may come from within ourselves (e.g., our arrogance), but it may …
Posted by Craig R. Koester on 10/1/2012 9:15 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Kathryn Schifferdecker, and Craig Koester. Article written by Craig Koester.
People often wonder what to make of the book of Revelation. Some find its bizarre images of seven-headed monsters and fire falling from the sky confusing at best and terrifying at worst. The Internet has numerous websites that attempt to turn Revelation into a roadmap for the end of the world. They speculate about the identity of the Antichrist and wonder how soon global conflict …
Tags: Bible, Jesus, Daniel, 1 Thessalonians, 1 John, Lamb, Antichrist, Armageddon, hope, hymns, praise, worship, evil, politics, Craig R. Koester
Posted by Enter the Bible on 9/1/2012 2:21 PM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Kathryn Schifferdecker and Mary Hinkle Shore. Article written by Mary Hinkle Shore.
The New Testament includes four gospels. When two of them introduce Jesus, he is already an adult. The Gospels of Mark and John include no information about the birth of Jesus or his childhood. Our information on the infant and the boy Jesus comes from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. These two gospel writers introduce us to the older generation of Jesus’ family first and …
Posted by Diane Jacobson on 8/1/2012 10:08 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Kathryn Schifferdecker and Diane Jacobson.
Article written by Diane Jacobson.
Does Sabbath still matter? Many folks would say no.
Keeping the Sabbath seems kind of lightweight compared to killing, idolatry, adultery, and theft. Many think that keeping the Sabbath is mainly about going to church on Sunday (or synagogue on Friday or Saturday), and that such a practice ought not be considered crucial. But Sabbath is not just another activity. Sabbath is, in fact, …
Posted by Eric Barreto on 7/2/2012 9:50 AM
Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Kathryn Schifferdecker and Lois Malcolm.
Article written by Eric D. Barreto.
Jesus' first words in the Gospel of Mark do not appear until the 15th verse of the first chapter, and what he says is a definitive statement of what his mission is all about. At the same time, his first words are a bit enigmatic. Once we start thinking about he says, his mission statement may be not as clear as we would like.
Emerging from his baptism by John in the Jordan and his temptation …