Want to make someone give you a look of surprise? Simply tell them that honor and shame are prominent themes in Paul’s letter to the Romans. These people might be unwilling to pick up a book like Reading Romans with Easter Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission. That’s one reason I created the infographic below. The graphic gives a quick glimpse into the way Paul uses honor and shame language in his famous letter. Rather than merely... Read more
Consider the Old Testament passages cited by Paul. Those OT texts intertwine honor, shame, and other motifs found in Romans. As a result, they help us better connect the dots of Paul’s logic. Honor and shame provide another layer of background to help interpreters discern Paul’s train of thought. Read more
The biblical authors are much like movie directors. How so? Think of a movie that made you feel suspense or elation. The movie’s use of sound or music had an impact on your subconscious. Background music cued your mind to expect some surprise, a twist in the story, or share in the characters’ emotion. Read more
Many readers will be nervous about potentially mixing the Bible with culture. Other people are uncomfortable speaking about an “Eastern” perspective. In today’s cultural milieu, such broad descriptions are sure to be criticized. But for the sake of the gospel and the nations, though, we need to take risks. Read more
John McDermott was the world’s expert in philosophical pragmatism. He knew everything about William James and John Dewey. McDermott had a reputation around the department. Tough. No nonsense. Sharp tongue. Astute knowledge in about everything. And he was no fan of Christianity. Read more
Good news! The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame, and Fear Cultures (by Jayson Georges) has been translated into simplified Chinese characters. It is titled 三维福音. I will only give a brief introduction to The 3D Gospel before highlighting aspects of the new translation. Read more
Michael Kruger’s recent post reminds us of problems that occur when we speak in half-truths. In his article, he suggests that the “New Perspective on Paul” (NPP) is a product of our current cultural milieu. He says, My own suspicion is that the New Perspective achieved popularity mainly because young Protestant ministers would rather talk about inclusion and breaking barriers than about the guilt of sin and the pointlessness of trying to erase it by a regimen of good deeds.... Read more
Christianity Today's recent article highlights the problem with the label "unreached people groups" or "UPGs". While I'm grateful that it puts in public view what has been a growing conversation in missions circles, I think we can press the questions further. Read more
What if we read Romans with "Eastern eyes"? Ask yourself, "What would we see?"This short video considers that question. Read more
When I began reading Scott Moreau's Contextualizing the Faith: A Holistic Approach, I immediately wanted to let everyone know about it. He is a well-recognized expert on contextualization. I recently interviewed Scott and today I share with you his responses. Read more
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