The Bible and Culture

I intend soon enough to do a full review of Peter Leithart's interesting book Defending Constantine but for now,  I want to focus on one aspect of his approach to religious matters that deserves closer attention.  When Constantine had gained power, beyond his military command,  he and Licinius  issued a proclamation now called the Edict of Milan.  This was an important edict of what we would call religious tolerance, and it set in motion a situation in which there would be no more … [Read more...]

Paul Doherty is nothing if not a prolific novelist.  I honestly can't keep up with all the different novels and series he keeps writing under the names of P.C. Doherty or Paul Doherty.   How exactly he is doing this whilst still a middle school teacher is also a mystery.  And speaking of a mystery his latest one called  The Mysterium (out in October 2010 in the U.K.)  is a fine addition, the 17th, to his series which features super sleuth and medieval clerk to King Edward   Hugh … [Read more...]

I had just gotten off the bus in a tiny coal mining village in County Durham England, when I saw the Methodist Chapel steward running down the hill to meet me.   It was Easter Sunday and I was scheduled to preach in that little chapel.   The steward came up to me, somewhat breathless and said,  “I’m ever so sorry but Mr. Witherington  I need to ask you a question.”    I said “Shoot”  and he replied “No nothing so drastic as shooting, just a question.”    I said “Go … [Read more...]

In the final chapter of this book  (pp. 319-55),  the Pope discusses the titles of  Christ.  Immediately he makes an interesting observation--- that the title Christ became a name very quickly, and this was appropriate since Jesus and his office or tasks were inseparable.  In others words, he wouldn’t have been who he was if he had not done what he did.  Doing and being were deeply intertwined in Jesus.   For example,  had he not died on the cross, he would not have been the Savior of … [Read more...]

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Here is an excerpt of President Obama's  Easter Prayer Breakfast message----- To all the faith leaders and the distinguished guests that are here today, welcome to our second annual -- I’m going to make it annual, why not?  (Laughter and applause.)  Our second Easter Prayer Breakfast.  The Easter Egg Roll, that’s well established.  (Laughter.)  The Prayer Breakfast we started last year, in part because it gave me a good excuse to bring together people who have been such … [Read more...]

The conviction that God had raised Jesus from death and exalted him to heavenly glory seems to have erupted soon after Jesus' death, and it was central in earliest faith of the Jesus-followers thereafter.  A few notes about this in connection with Easter Sunday 2011. The conviction was that it was Jesus of Nazareth who had been raised.  That is, there was a direct connection between the crucified figure who had been active in Roman Judea and the figure of earliest Christian … [Read more...]

Call me a little slow but I have lived in Lexington for sixteen years and never had a day at the races, at Keenland, which is only 10 minutes from my house.   I have owned two horses in the past which my girls rode, but never had a day at the races.  Nor have I been to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby either,  something I hope to fix soon.   You might think there are reasons--- like I don't believe in gambling.  True enough, but you don't have to gamble to enjoy watching beautiful … [Read more...]

Chapter Nine (pp.  287-318) is called Two Milestones on Jesus’ Way,  but in some ways I suppose one could call them two millstones in Jesus’ way---- one is the partial confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi the other the Transfiguration, which Peter didn’t entirely understand either.   Right out of the box,  the Pope offers the interesting observation that Banias,  the shrine of the Greek god Pan, was in fact set up by Herod the Great, and later changed by his son into Caesarea … [Read more...]

PILATE CROSSES PATHS WITH JESUS The morning of the day began with a weary Jesus standing in front of Pontius Pilate at the usual hour for Roman judicial business---- 6 a.m.   The day was April 7th A.D. 30, and Pontius Pilate was in no mood to be crossed by anyone.  As if it were not enough that there were now 500,000 excited Jews in Jerusalem for Passover, some 250 times the numbers of troops he could muster on the day, there were various zealots in the jail next to the Antonio Fortress, … [Read more...]