Today we relight the candle of HOPE. Now we light the candle for the second Sunday in Advent. This is the candle of PEACE. As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, we remember that Jesus is our hope and our peace. From the prophet Isaiah: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6-7 From… Read more

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Read more

We are knee deep into winter around here; the term is all but over and I’m looking forward to classes this next term. Enjoy these meanderings! Rachel Denhollander: Lawyer and former gymnast Rachael Denhollander has been selected as Sports Illustrated’s Inspiration of the Year. Denhollander was the first woman to publicly accuse former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault. Denhollander filed a federal lawsuit against Nassar at the U.S. District Court for the Western District fo Michigan. Two-hundered… Read more

 Description: A dissident is someone who isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo of a culture, and the apocalypse by John is a challenge: the Dissident vs. Domitian! In this sermon I a big theme in Revelation for Christ the King Sunday. Read more

A Place to Start, by Mike Glenn Most of us have heard of the innkeeper in the Christmas story. Poor Mary, pregnant and tired, has been dragged to Bethlehem by Joseph because that’s where his family is from and according to Caesar Augustus, everyone had to go to their hometown to pay their taxes. When the couple arrives in Bethlehem, Mary finds out Joseph hasn’t called ahead for reservations. I bet that was a fun discussion… Anyway, the mean old… Read more

Many readers of this blog will remember our posts about Greg Boyd’s monster 2-volume The Crucifixion of the Warrior God. Then Greg — knowing no doubt that many didn’t want to read two big books — published a short version called The Cross Vision. Well, now there’s a magnificent study guide of The Cross Vision by Deacon Godsey, a Northern Seminary student, that has mastered both books and presented Boyd’s big ideas in accessible prose in a study guide format. The study guide… Read more

Denis Alexander is a molecular biologist and it is to the molecular basis of life that he turns in Chapter 3 of his book “Is There Purpose in Biology?” As a chemist, I find this chapter fascinating. Biology is nothing without chemistry. To set the stage: in chapter 1 Denis introduced a historical perspective on the discussion of purpose in biology, in chapter 2 he outlined the Grand Narrative of biology. The increase in complexity in undeniable, from early single-cell… Read more

By Michelle Van Loon My friend Joy and her family relocated to a new state a few months ago. I checked in with her recently, and asked her if they’d found a church yet. There was a long pause before she answered. “Committing to a new congregation is a lot harder than I thought it would be. We’ve been through so much when it comes to church.” After he left seminary, Joy’s husband had been on staff at a church… Read more

The Book of Proverbs and women. What it says about and by women surprises. Many miss this; but not Glenn Pemberton in his excellent new book, A Life That Is Good. What do we learn? First, let’s call it a strategy — Pemberton thinks the audience is largely young men and women are used to speak to get their attention? Agree? If we were the writers and our audience consisted of young men, naive and inexperienced as they stepped out to… Read more

Who is your favorite coffee Roaster? This site just ranked America’s Top 25, with two from Chicago: What does it take to be one of the best coffee roasters in America? To some critics, it’s innovation — the willingness to throw “rules” by the wayside and the skill to revolutionize new roasting practices, all in the name of better coffee. For others, it’s taste, perhaps best exemplified in a roaster’s selectiveness when hunting for the finest green coffees in the… Read more