This amazing tunnel is found in the Ukraine, and is a local railway tunnel to a private factory. The locals however call it ‘the tunnel of love’. Whatever else you can say, it is ‘tree-mendously’ beautiful. 🙂 Read more
This amazing tunnel is found in the Ukraine, and is a local railway tunnel to a private factory. The locals however call it ‘the tunnel of love’. Whatever else you can say, it is ‘tree-mendously’ beautiful. 🙂 Read more
Getting your picture on a U.S. stamp, even a one cent one, requires that you have accomplished something significant. In the case of Horace Mann of Franklin Mass., he accomplished notable things in the early 19th century in three different fields— law, politics, and finally education,only to return to politics once more, this time as a U.S. Representative (previously he had only been involved in Mass. politics). In 1837, Mann became the president of the Massachusetts Board of Education,... Read more
The word Easter of course has a relationship to the word ‘eastern’. It is the time in the church calendar when Western Christians look to the east, to Jerusalem, from whence comes their help. This same sort of geographical orientation explains why cathedrals and churches point east, so to speak. As you look down the transcept to the high altar and beyond to the back of a cathedral or proper church, the sun comes up through the rose window... Read more
We hear a lot about ‘making room for God’ from the pulpit, as though God is someone we need to squeeze into our overly busy schedule. I feel about this the same way I feel about the whole ‘God is my co-pilot’ stuff. In neither case is the conception of how we ought to relate to God anywhere near the mark. In fact it would be more accurate to say we should make God the room, than make room... Read more
When it comes to Good Friday, we tend to hear a lot of sermons about the soteriological benefits of Christ’s death for us all, which is of course appropriate. What we do not hear a lot of sermons about is what the cross tells us about either the character of God and why the cross is necessary in the first place. For example, if we consider the last matter first, if the death of Jesus was not absolutely the necessary... Read more
If you are wondering where in the world the phrase Maundy Thursday comes from, wonder no more. It actually comes from the phrase Mandatum Thursday, or loosely translated ‘mandate’ or ‘commandment’ Thursday. It refers to the commandment from John 13 which you see in the picture above. Unfortunately, it was assumed that John 13 is about what transpired on Thursday of Holy Week, but historically this is probably incorrect. There is not footwashing episode on Thursday according to all... Read more
I have been named scholar in residence at John’s College at the University of Durham (not to be confused with Duke) in Durham England. So I will be returning to my alma mater for the Spring or Easter term beginning today, Maundy Thursday. I will be writing a series of posts about my adventures and misadventures at my alma mater beginning soon. Stay tuned!! Read more
While the conclusion of this weighty tome is but six pages long (on which see the coda below) the final essay is not (pp. 290-317). Jean Francois Landolt (yet another colleague of Marguerat at Lausanne) focuses on Paul as an exemplary figure in his letters (see 1 Thess. 1.6; Gal. 4.12; 1 Cor. 4.16; 11.1; Phil. 3.17) and wants to compare that image with Acts, asking whether Acts also presents Paul as a exemplum. All this is fine and dandy,... Read more
The issue of Paul working with his hands, which comes up in a variety of Pauline texts, and also in Acts (cf. Acts 20.33; 2 Thess. 3.7-10; 1 Tim. 5.17; 2 Tim. 3.7-10, and also the general discussion in 1 Cor. 9), is treated in the translated essay by Yann Redalie (pp. 282ff.). The elders in Ephesus are exhorted to follow Paul in regard to this practice, which is part of the largely exhortation towards imitatio Pauli. The motive given... Read more
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