At some point or another the Gospel reader who has some interest in women in ministry confronts the reality that Jesus did not call women to be apostles. Were they “disciples”? Yes. More importantly, what kinds of “ministry” did they have? Today I want to suggest that women took common places and converted them into sacred spaces, and I want to suggest further that women developed “missional centers” in earliest Christianity. And I want to contend that any suggestion that... Read more
The young woman, intoxicated with the delightful love of her young lover, describes herself in the presence of the other women of Jerusalem — who watch her love like a chorus surrounding the scene — with these words: |inline Read more
One one day last week I got two letters that asked the same basic question: How can grass-roots Christian pastors and leaders participate in the emerging movement today without being accused of heresy and have their integrity — moral and theological — called into question? I know some who have lost their leadership positions simply for reading some emerging books and others for participating in cohorts. Some are too adventurous for their former churches; many aren’t. The distinction is not... Read more
In chp 6 of Greeley and Houk’s The Truth about Conservative Christians [CCs] we are given a social portrait of CCs. Here’s the stereotype: CCs are “rubes” — Southern, uneducated gun owners who live in trailer parks or far from the city (p. 91). What’s the truth? Or, what do the stats show? |inline Read more
Song of Songs 1:2-4, the words of the young woman, reads: |inline Read more
This is the first in a monthly series on John Goldingay, Old Testament Theology, volume 1: Israel’s Gospel. We’ll look at one chp per month — on the first day of the month, unless that falls on a weekend. So, today, we get it started. |inline Read more
Today is Opening Day for the Chicago Cubs, the mighty Cubs. The odds are in with a local furniture salesman — talk about confidence — and here’s proof! Note: a new pic added for abused, life-long Cubs fans. |inline Read more
OK, here’s a picture of the longest soul patch I’ve yet seen. But it got me to thinking — pardon moi Jeff if you think I’m predicting the imminent demise of cool soul patches — about styles and soul we’ve had over the years that are now a thing of the past (and good riddance to them). I’ll begin with this: |inline Read more
Church kids, in the middle of a boring sermon, sometimes wander around in the Bible to keep themselves occupied. Those who wander accidentally into the Song of Songs not only wander but begin to wonder just what it is they have happened upon. No matter how hard some well-intentioned parent, Sunday School teacher or pastor tries to convince the young Christian kid that this book — smack dab in the Bible — is an allegory of our relationship to God,... Read more
From our friend at Paraclete Press, Pamela Jordan: |inline Read more
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