What makes you uncomfortable?

What parts of the Bible make you uncomfortable, and why?
My Old Testament Exegesis professor asked us that question in class the other day in the context of a discussion about monotheism in ancient Israel and today. We talked about how, for the most part, the people of Israel weren’t monotheistic, but instead worshiped any number [...]

The Apostle Paul and Nonviolence

Was Paul a pacifist? Michael Gorman , Professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Mary’s Sminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland, seems to think so. From his book Reading Paul:
It is easy to think of Paul as a preacher or pastor, even as an example. It is more difficult for us to see him as a critic [...]

Is the Bible Actually True? The verse(s) that guide my reading

Preface: I read a great article recently with the same title as this series of blog posts over on Relevant Magazine’s website. It raised a number of issues related to biblical interpretation that I’ve been meaning to address on here for some time now, and it finally provided enough inspiration for me to start writing. [...]

Is the Bible Actually True?

Preface: I read a great article this morning with the same title as this blog post over on Relevant Magazine’s website. It raised a number of issues related to biblical interpretation that I’ve been meaning to address on here for some time now, and it finally provided enough inspiration for me to start writing. This [...]

Food for Thought

I thought this was funny:
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know.
And so they will be put to shame.
Who would fashion a god or cast an image that can do no good?
Look, all its devotees shall be put [...]

Why I Drink From a Wide Stream

-The two preachers I listen to most frequently (pretty much every week) have views about the gifting of women for ministry that are, in my opinion, unbiblical. I have books on my shelf from several pastors and authors who share their view.
-Getting one of my favorite authors to plainly state what he believes about substitutionary [...]

As you have received, so now walk

Tonight at our small group my wife led us in a brief but wonderful discussion of Colossians 2:6-8:
“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one [...]

On the Difficulty of Truth Telling

““I heard Jesus Christ was there/ He had a car that’s bulletproof/ That way everyone is safe/ From the man who tells the truth.”
-Derek Webb, “Heaven”
A few weeks ago Jim Wallis of Sojourners wrote an interesting article on the God’s Politics Blog. The article was called A ‘Truth-Telling’ Ministry for People of Faith. The article addressed [...]

Inerrancy and/or Sufficiency

Right now I’m reading a terrific little book called The Disciple of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies. The book has raised a number of interesting ideas that are critically important to the practice of ministry. I’ll be blogging about some of these ideas over the next couple of days. Here’s my first post:
Consider the following [...]

Reviving an Old Love/Hate Relationship

When I was in college I hated Greek.
I mean, I really hated Greek.
I took it because I also hated Spanish, I needed a foreign language to graduate, and knew I would have to take it in seminary eventually.  Man, did I hate it.  For my entire junior year of college it occupied roughly 75% of [...]