Ben Witherington has recently published a useful, biblical analysis of three segments of Evangelicalism: Calvinism (which neither he nor I are), Dispensationalism (the same), and Wesleyanism (which he is, I’m not). The book is called The Problem with Evangelical Theology: Testing the Exegetical Foundations of Calvinism, Dispensationalism and Wesleyanism. It pays reading, as it is yet another call for more of us to be involved in a generous orthodoxy. |inline Read more
Today’s post will examine what the ancient Jewish sources tell us about how women and the legal system. First, what about Punishments and Judgments? Women were treated absolutely equally in matters pertaining to punishment. Because of Numbers 5:6 (where men and women are seen as equals), R. Ishmael said: “it [the scripture] has thus made it explicit in regard to all the laws about damages found in the Torah that women are to be regarded like men” (Mekhilta de R.... Read more
Luke 2:1-20 1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to... Read more
This blogs of the week has been getting some attention of late, and I can’t possibly read everyone’s blog every day or week, so if you find something particularly worthy of note, let me know — and even if you think you’ve written a particularly good post this week and want some attention for it, let me know. I can’t promise anyone anything on this, but I’ll do what I can to pass along good posts for the week. When... Read more
There was a stir recently when Emergent leaders announced they were meeting with some Jewish leaders. Here is the latest form of the press release for S3K, including names of those invited: LOS ANGELES, MINNEAPOLIS — Synagogue 3000 (S3K) and Emergent have announced a ground-breaking meeting to connect Jewish and Christian leaders who are experimenting with innovative congregations and trying to push beyond the traditional categories of “left” and “right.” |inline Read more
James M. Robinson is perhaps the leading scholar in the world on the hypothetical source of the canonical Gospels called “Q.” He’s also a leading voice in the Jesus Seminar, which Seminar is not hypothetical but is instead the source for many news shows. The Jesus Seminar gathered for years to discuss and vote on which sayings and events in the Gospels were “authentic.” Robinson’s now written a book, The Gospel of Jesus: In Search of the Original Good News.... Read more
Every Christmas I read Charles Dickens’, A Christmas Carol, and am in Stave 4 now. It is the story of a conversion from miserliness to generosity, from self-preoccupation to other-directedness. One assignment I give when I teach about conversion is to examine this Christmas book to determine if the student thinks Scrooge’s conversion is a Christian conversion. Some of you might have comments on that. |inline Read more
Today’s post will look at the crises of a woman in a married life, including adultery, divorce, widowhood, and the issues surrounding levirate marriage First, we look at adultery: a Jewish man could only commit adultery by sexual intercourse with a woman already married. Jesus differed with this general Jewish stance by arguing for strict monogamy (Luke 16:18; Matthew 5:32). The Hebrew Bible prescribes death for adultery (cf. Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:20-21); but Jewish traditions varied on this law’s implementation... Read more
I’ve been asked to post a picture. Yep, that’s Kris and I. Don’t ask our ages when we got married. Read more
32 years ago today, wearing a bright red tuxedo and decked out with a full head of hair, I waited at the front of our church’s sanctuary while my beautiful bride, Kris, marched down the middle aisle and there we were married. We grew up together, were grade school sweethearts, junior high sweethearts, high school sweethearts, and went off to college together and by Christmas of my sophomore year we were married. We honeymooned in Mexico (where we’ll be going... Read more
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