The primeval history of Genesis 1-11 ends with two genealogies and an excursion to the tower of Babel (another Sunday School staple). We’ve discussed the Tower of Babel before in posts Babel in Ancient Context where John Walton’s commentaries were considered and then Babel as Ideological Critique based on J. Richard Middleton’s reading of the story.  Both Tremper Longman and Bill Arnold focus on the story as part of the repeating theme of sin, judgement, and grace in the major... Read more

It has been official now for a decade or so, but there is a skirmish of definition on whether or not “apocalyptic” is the right word to use the apostle Paul. On the one side are those who use this term to describe their approach to Paul: E. Käsemann, J.C. Beker,  J. Louis Martyn, Martinus de Boer, Beverly Gaventa, and Douglas Campbell. What we need is a condensed statement of this apocalyptic gospel, and here is a widely-used summary of the... Read more

Neil Bach’s new biography of one the last century’s truly great New Testament scholars who was every bit the Christian he was the scholar. And he loved American baseball. It is not possible to summarize a man’s life in a paragraph or two, so I add this endorsement of mine to the book: When I think of Leon Morris, I think of three words: inductive, evangelical, courageous. Time and time again Leon Morris asked Bible readers to go back to... Read more

From The Guardian: herever you are in the world, visiting a bookshop is always a treat – but with their numbers dwindling, independent stores that offer something unique are increasingly becoming a destination in themselves. Last year we rounded up some of the world’s most weird and wonderful bookshops – from a bookshop opened by Alice Munro in the 1960s to one in the island of Santorini started by drunk Oxford students – but here’s a selection of favourite bookshops... Read more

Carrie Muskat: CHICAGO — Last year, the Cubs wore pajamas on the flight back from Los Angeles and players could wear shorts to Miami. The first theme trip this year will be Sunday when they travel to Pittsburgh for a three-game series, and it will be what manager Joe Maddon called “a minimalist zany suit trip.” “It’s not your typical Hugo Boss thing, not Italian cut by any means,” Maddon said Saturday. “Mine will feature tulips.” In Spring Training, Maddon... Read more

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O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP Read more

Mark Tietjen serves as director of religious life and Grace Palmer Johnston Chair of Bible at Stony Brook School. His latest book, Kierkegaard: a Christian Missionary to Christians framed this interview. The interview was conducted by David George Moore. Dave blogs at www.twocities.org. Moore: Your title will pique the interest of those not familiar with Kierkegaard. How is he a “Christian missionary to Christians”? Tietjen: Kierkegaard’s context is 19th century Europe, i.e. Christendom, and thus he’s addressing an audience that... Read more

You believe in spanking? Julie Beck: Around the world, an average of 60 percent of children receive some kind of physical punishment, according to UNICEF. And the most common form is spanking. In the United States, most people still see spanking as acceptable, though FiveThirtyEight reports that the percentage of people who approve of spanking has gone down, from 84 percent in 1986 to about 70 percent in 2012.“The question of whether parents should spank their children to correct misbehaviors... Read more