Luther Seminary's Bible Q & A

Podcast featuring Cameron Howard, assistant professor of Old Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.

This is the second of two podcasts on the Old Testament created in collaboration with Wayne Presbyterian Church, Wayne, Penn., for its "Confirmation for the Rest of Us" program.

In this podcast, Dr. Howard covers what's in the Old Testament and discusses specific stories within the Old Testament.

[Note: The original intended audience is Presbyterian, so Dr. Howard addresses views of Scripture …

Podcast featuring Cameron Howard, assistant professor of Old Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.

This is the first of two podcasts on the Old Testament created in collaboration with Wayne Presbyterian Church, Wayne, Penn., for its "Confirmation for the Rest of Us" program.

In this podcast, Dr. Howard covers what the Old Testament is, who wrote it, and how we might go about reading it.

[Note: The original intended audience is Presbyterian, so Dr. Howard addresses views of Scripture from …

Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Cameron Howard and Terence Fretheim.
Article written by Terence Fretheim.

A regular rhythm of natural disasters has occurred in recent years, from floods in the Midwest, to fires in California and Colorado, to hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, to earthquakes in China and Haiti, to the tsunamis in Southeast Asia. The list is long.

Given this painful history, it is not surprising that the Bible’s pages are filled with references to natural disasters: the flood, …

by Pastor Clint Schnekloth

In previous months we've looked at how to pick a study Bible and where to find a fresh translation of the Bible.

Here's another way to study the Bible:

6. Download a Bible study program

The best on the market is www.accordancebible.com. With a program like this, you can read many different translations and access more study tools than anyone (other than a professional student of Scripture) would ever need.

Read the whole list of Pastor Clint's previous tips.

Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Cameron Howard, and James Boyce. Article written by James Boyce.

Where did the Bible come from? For most Christians questions about the origins of the Bible are not just a matter of idle curiosity. Virtually all of us hold these writings we call the Scriptures as inspired by God and authoritative for faith and life.

But we do not always agree on what being “true” and “authoritative” means. By examining how these writings originated, we …

by Pastor Clint Schnekloth

In previous months we've looked at how to pick a study Bible and where to read the Bible online.

Here's another way to study the Bible:

5. Read a fresh translation of the Bible

Many new translations of Scripture come out each year. It may interest you to read a translation other than the one you are used to. One of the best is the Common English Bible (CEB). The English is how it is spoken, today, and has a fresh feel to it. Try it out and see what you think.

Check back …

by Pastor Clint Schnekloth

So maybe you have decided to read the Bible in one year. Good for you! Now you are struggling with the very practical question: Where can I find Bible study tools?

In previous months we've looked at how to pick a study Bible and where to read the Bible online.

Here's another way to study the Bible:

3. Use online study tools

Many people want to study the Bible, but with study tools embedded. For this purpose, there are many dynamic study resources. One of the best --  …

Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Cameron Howard, and Mary Hinkle Shore. Article written by Mary Hinkle Shore.

Jesus was a small-town peasant in a Roman province far from the centers of political and religious power. People in such circumstances rarely threatened Rome in any serious way. A miracle-working Jewish prophet and teacher would not have posed much of a conventional threat to such power and brutality. For his own part, Jesus never took up arms, nor did he encourage his followers to do …

by Pastor Clint Schnekloth

So maybe you have decided to read the Bible in one year, or three years, or three months. Good for you! Now you are struggling with the very practical question: What Bible should I read?

Many of us try to figure out whether we should read the Bible from a good study edition (and which one?) or whether we should read it online, on our mobile device, or Kindle.

Last month we looked at how to pick a study Bible.

Here's another way to read the Bible:

2. Read a free …

Podcast discussion with Eric Barreto, Cameron Howard, and Fred Gaiser.Article written by Fred Gaiser.      

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). Jesus was not the first to pray this prayer, nor was he the last. But when we hear this terrible outburst on the lips of Jesus, echoing the opening words of Psalm 22, we might be confused: Was not Jesus truly God? Was not Jesus "of one Being with the Father," as we confess in the Nicene Creed? So, how could God forsake …