Brueggemann’s Theology of the Old Testament, Part 5. Part of a series preparing for Brueggemann’s lectures at Fuller Seminary at the end of April. By Reed Metcalf My favorite non-biblical quote in the world is from Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel to the whole world and, if necessary, use words.” It simply and poignantly reminds us of the crucial task of living out our faith as part of bearing witness to God. And, Walter Brueggemann would say, that statement is both very right... Read more
By Dr. Amos Yong This is the third installment of a series of posts by Dr. Yong on the theme of the “Holy Spirit and Mission in Canonical Perspective.” To see all posts in this series, click here. Exodus 15:8, 10 – The Wind and Breath of Yahweh: Liberation and Mission There are at least three trajectories of missiological readings of the book of Exodus. In the next chapter we will look at that which links the Sinaitic covenant with Israel’s... Read more
By David Moore Today, a story of big change—and anecdotal evidence that empathy is required to drive change in a manner consistent with the Kingdom of God. First, the story. Palm oil is used as cooking oil, a non-trans fat food additive in processed foods, and an ingredient in biodiesel. Even better, palm oil is renewable. However, responsibly managing palm tree farms is more complicated and expensive than simply clear-cutting Southeast Asian forest (which causes all sorts of environmental issues... Read more
By Dr. Kurt Fredrickson Pastors in America are wonderfully and widely diverse. Some are highly educated with degree titles; others have nothing more than a love for God and a study Bible. They serve in urban, rural and suburban settings, in small churches and large churches. Yet there are similarities common to all. Being pastor impacts the lives of people, local congregations and society in significant ways. This role is very demanding on those who serve, often leading to fatigue... Read more
By Richard J. Mouw In his classic 1985 critique of the mass media, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman focused with special vehemence on what he labeled the “Now… This” character of the nightly news program. Much has changed during the past three decades in the technology, format and scheduling (“24/7”) character of TV news programming. But the pattern that Postman subjected to in his stinging critique is still current. In a speech I heard Postman deliver not... Read more
By Michael Wright I feel like the wrong person to write about suffering. I’m a white middle class male with a masters degree, and when I read whatever new tragedy pulls at our hearts (Oh God, we grieve with Kenya) I’m reminded that whatever suffering I’ve experienced, it’s doesn’t reach the levels of sorrow of my neighbors. But then I remember what a close friend told me: “Michael, don’t use the suffering of others to dismiss your own.” It’s hard... Read more
By Reed Metcalf If you’ve been following the Fuller Blog the last few weeks, you may have seen our series of blogs working through the writings of Walter Brueggemann. My hope was to give folks an inside look into how our study in seminary affects our reading, writing, and preaching on Scripture. Today was supposed to cover the last section of Brueggemann’s Theology of the Old Testament, but something happened in my noggin that drove home the point... Read more
By Dr. Amos Yong This is the second installment of a series of posts by Dr. Yong on the theme of the “Holy Spirit and Mission in Canonical Perspective.” To see all posts in this series, click here. Genesis 41:38 – Joseph and the Spirit: The Mission of God in the Torah The divine spirit appears thrice in the book of Genesis: once in Genesis 1:2, a second time in Genesis 6:3, and a third time in a question that the Pharaoh of Egypt poses to... Read more
Brueggemann’s Theology of the Old Testament, Part 4. Part of a series preparing for Brueggemann’s lectures at Fuller Seminary at the end of April. By Reed Metcalf As we have slugged our way through Walter Brueggemann’s Theology of the Old Testament, we have been introduced to a new way to frame the Scriptures. Brueggemann suggests that the Old Testament is best understood as a collection of witness statements, of testimonies as you would hear in a court room. Israel testifies to Yahweh, the God... Read more
By Dr. Amos Yong This is the first installment of a series of posts by Dr. Yong on the theme of the “Holy Spirit and Mission in Canonical Perspective.” Gen. 1:3 & 6:3 – Creation and Fall: The Life-Giving Spirit The scriptural canon of course begins with these well-known words: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face... Read more
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