The Bible and Culture

Professor Jim Charlesworth (see previous blog posts on the Patio Tomb) has shared with me the following letter from the producer of the 'Jesus Tomb Discovery' about the images which were the basis of his analysis.Dear Prof. Charlesworth, Attached are two best images of "Yonah" inscription in question. One image came from the high definition camera and the other one from the fiber-optic video probe. None of these images were altered, enhanced or even colour corrected. The difference in … [Read more...]

(with apologies to and adaptation from Robin Williams Top Ten Reasons to be an Episcopalian).10. No snake handling (a real sales feature in Kentucky).9. You can believe in dinosaurs.8. Male and female God created them, male and female we ordain them.7. You don't have to check your brains at the door.6. Even cross and flame boxer shorts are not considered a tacky Christmas gift for clergy in the UMC.5. The church year is color coded, to make it easier to follow. … [Read more...]

To the right you will see me and my family in an old style photo shot in Silverton Colorado. We were on our Wild West trip of a lifetime in 1992 which took us from New Orleans to San Antonio to Carlsbad Caverns to Tucson to the Grand Canyon to Four Corners, to Grand Junction and to various places in Colorado finishing in Denver. It was a terrific trip, and a good time was had by all. That's my Christy standing behind me to the left.But now she is gone to be with the Lord for five … [Read more...]

I've been asked frequently of late about where and whether to do a PhD if one wants to pursue a career in teaching the Bible. First of all, let me be clear that it depends on what sort of teaching you have in mind. If by teaching the Bible you mean at the level of a Christian high school or in the church, then no.... you don't need a PhD. If by teaching the Bible you mean in various places on the mission field, then again, no, you don't need a PhD. If however you feel you are called to … [Read more...]

Sometimes it's discouraging how loosely we use the English language. One thing we hear from time to time on TV is 'give a gift to yourself'. From a theological point of view, that's an impossibility. If it's something you can give to yourself, then you already have it, or have the resources to get it. It therefore falls into the non-gift category. Gifts, by definition are things you give to someone who, usually and normally, don't have it. And furthermore, there is a character of … [Read more...]

I have written encomiums and odes to Fenway Park before, even last summer as its 100 anniversary began, so I will in this post conclude this brief series with the lionizing of the BSO, including its popular off spring the Boston Pops, and perhaps most especially Symphony Hall, another museum in itself.In 1900 Boston's 'new' Symphony Hall opened. Dedicated to great classical music (especially that of the killer B's-- Bach, Beethoven, Brahms) this Hall quickly established itself as … [Read more...]

Directly across the street from Trinity Episcopal Church at Copley Square is the Boston Public Library, which today is largely a reference and special exhibits library. A little history with the help of Wiki is in order...The Boston Public Library (est.1848) is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in the United States, the first large library open to the public in the United States, and the first … [Read more...]

If you are in the music doldrums, or doing a lot of driving this summer and needing some tunes to keep you awake, alert, and actually interested in what is happening, I have some suggestions for you.The first is for those, sooner or later, going to the beach. And there is no more beachy album than the first new album by the Beach Boys in 16 long years, an album put together to front or back their 50th anniversary (yes you heard me right) tour this summer. This word just in---it's really … [Read more...]

Ah books. Many of my happiest hours have been spent in book shops, especially one as vintage as Brattle's Antiquarian Bookshop, which boasts on the sign that it is the oldest continually operating Bookshop in America, dating back to the 18th century. Honestly, I believe it. There are some books still in there from the 18th and 19th century! I for example looked at a vintage set of two volumes by Hannah Moore, first edition dating 1830ish. If you don't know her, look her up.In its more … [Read more...]