John Franke, in his new and exciting book Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Living Theology) takes on the central issue of our age: the plurality of truth. It doesn’t take long in this world to realize that most people in this world don’t believe what “I”/”We” believe. Some, of course, opt for cultural relativism, that “you have your truth and I have mine.” Truth is, in other words, purely local, and irreconciliable, and pluralistic and this is the postmodern... Read more
The center of the messianic movement was Jerusalem, and this is clearly seen in our text from Acts 11: 11:22 A report about them came to the attention of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 11:23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts, 11:24 because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a significant number of people... Read more
Today we turn to the topic of wealth. Let’s start with a simple question: What is wealth? The answer may not be as obvious as it seems. Consider the following. The Nature of Wealth How much would you say a diamond is worth? Our first inclination is to determine its size, cut, color, and clarity. But we have overlooked a fundamental question: Worth to whom? A diamond I find while hiking will have great value to me.... Read more
How does marriage fit into the presence of God in our lives today? Families mediate God to children and to adults. How has family mediated God to you? to your family? This is what Dean Nelson examines in God Hides in Plain Sight: How to See the Sacred in a Chaotic World in chp 5. “Families can be microcosms of our relationship with God” (120). In seeing the suffering of an injury to his son, in participating in that pain and... Read more
From Umair Haque… Harvard Business Publishing: Dear Old People Who Run the World,My generation would like to break up with you.Everyday, I see a widening gap in how you and we understand the world — and what we want from it. I think we have irreconcilable differences.You wanted big, fat, lazy “business.” We want small, responsive, micro-scale commerce.You turned politics into a dirty word. We want authentic, deep democracy — everywhere.You wanted financial fundamentalism. We want an economics that makes sense for people — not just banks.You wanted shareholder... Read more
It is not often recognized that Peter formed the vanguard of gospeling the Gentiles. But in his wake came Barnabas and Saul (aka, Paul): 11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too, proclaiming the good... Read more
It has been a while – but the Missional Campus Ministry series will continue on an occasional basis as resources or topics appear. Today I would like to focus conversation around a recent blog post by John Stackhouse – Campus Ministry That’s Not for Every One. Here is a brief excerpt… speaking about a visit to the University of Ottawa: But what I liked the most about working with him in producing several events on campus is that he is... Read more
Perhaps the central issue for the emerging movement is the issue of truth, and at the core of the issue is what John Franke, in his new and exciting book Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth (Living Theology) , calls “the sheer, existential reality of Christian plurality” (3). Emerging folks are often asked “Do you believe in truth?” and John’s book addresses that question. Those who have criticized the emerging folks for their stance on truth are obligated to listen... Read more
Sunday Kris and I attended the Gloriae Dei Cantores [Unto Ages of Ages: Sacred Choral Music of Sviridov, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky] concert at St. Andrews Greek Orthodox Church in Evanston. (Touring schedule.) A capella. I told Kris the choir had to be held back or they could have blown the windows out of the church; gloriously rich music, and I’m not a specialist by any means. Gloriae Dei Cantores is the choral group from the Community of Jesus, which is also... Read more
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Pastor’s Bookshelf: 1-2 Peter (with Jude)
I’ve been negligent in getting the final posts done on New Testament commentaries, and I apologize. Today we list valuable commentaries on 1 and 2 Peter and Jude. Again, I’m open to any suggestions you might have. No commentary is as complete as JH Elliott on 1 Peter, and it is the result of a career of studies on the letter: 1 Peter (The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries). PJ Achtemeier’s commentary is another landmark by a veteran NT scholar; complete,... Read more