Acts 11:1-18 What is your response when God blesses others? Sometimes, we find it difficult to rejoice when others rejoice because we may think that for some reason it’s not right. When Peter returned to Jerusalem, the mother church, those of the circumcision were not pleased with what Peter had to say. “Those of the circumcision” were the Jews who believed that Gentiles had to become Jews to be saved, by being circumcised and keeping the Law. They had the... Read more
Acts 10:34-48 And so the miracle of Pentecost continues. Pentecost was not only a day of God’s visitation but also the ongoing reality of the spread of His kingdom. In this passage, Peter connects what the Father has done through the Son with what the Son has done through the Spirit and what the Son continues to do through the Spirit. To Peter, all of these aspects are essential and should be presented as part of the gospel. Though undoubtedly... Read more
Acts 10:24-33 I can tell today’s lesson in one word: “obedience.” Thank you very much. Now we can all go back to our jobs in peace, having accomplished the world’s shortest Bible devotional. Eh? What’s that? Oh, there’s something more that should be said about this? In the grand scheme of things, Acts 10 is about God breaking down the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles, something so important and profound that St. Paul calls it the “great mystery.” ... Read more
“What God has cleansed you must not call common.” What a difficult truth for us to accept! Adam and Eve were the first ones who had difficulty with this. God had made the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil holy, so He set it apart from the other trees, saying, “You can eat of the fruit of every other tree, but not this one.” But Adam and Eve called that tree common, choosing to violate God’s boundary markers... Read more
Acts 9:32-43 I want you to know that I died today. I thought someone should know. You might not have noticed, but it’s not really your fault. You see: I’m a zombie. I’m one of the millions who are seen every day, walking around as if they’re living, but who in reality are dead. Some of us are truly dead, for we don’t know the way to Life. Some of us aren’t even aware that we’re zombies because we’ve gotten... Read more
Possibly the Most Important Theological Work of the 20th Century Pope John Paul II’s “Man and Woman He Created Them,” popularly known as “A Theology of the Body” may be the most important theological work of the 20th century. I say this because John Paul II is not only a first-rate theologian but also because “Theology of the Body” strikes at the heart of a series of related issues that desperately need addressing today. “Theology of the Body” begins with... Read more
Excellent Analysis of Eastern Orthodox Conversions in America Amy Slagle’s “The Eastern Church in the Spiritual Marketplace” is an excellent, scholarly look at conversions to Eastern Orthodoxy in America. As an Anglican priest and professor, I’ve been interested in Eastern Orthodoxy, and especially the churches in the U.S. However, information other than that provided by the Orthodox churches themselves (which are not very self-reflective or self-critical) has been hard to come by. Slagle’s book helps fill this niche. Not only... Read more
Striking New Insights Into the Rise and Growth of Christianity I’m a big fan of Rodney Stark because his works are both scholarly and readable, as well as being well-argued, well-researched, and positively revelatory. His new book, “The Triumph of Christianity,” is similar to his earlier work, “The Rise of Christianity.” However he not only extends the time of his discussion to cover all of church history but has also incorporated what he calls “new perspectives” on some old questions.... Read more
Wise and Wonderful, Profound and Practical Marriage is clearly a troubled institution in American culture, and that includes even among American Christians. The problem is that so often Christians have accepted the world’s definitions of marriage. While many Christian books have been written on marriage, Tim Keller’s “The Meaning of Marriage” is one of the best. What makes “The Meaning of Marriage” so excellent? At least four things. First, Keller gives a vision for marriage. His main reason for writing... Read more
Acts 9:20-31 In Acts 9, Jesus Christ has raised up another man to minister in His Name: Paul. We have a tendency to make heroes out of individuals and to treat them as individuals apart from the community that gives them life. Since the age of print and the consequent desire to display oneself as the one who created a particular object of art or literature, we’ve had an impulse towards individualism. It’s the Romantic idea that I, by myself,... Read more
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