Ronald Sider If Jesus is Lord distinguishes between “coercion” and “violence.” It’s a helpful distinction because, if we can agree on terms here (and it’s not an easy agreement) we can agree that violence is always wrong. How would you distinguish “coercion” from “violence”? Where would you disagree with Sider below? Sider’s definitions: I use the word “coercion” to refer to the exercise of influence on others in ways that pressure them to act in certain way. Legitimate coercion is action... Read more

I invited you to apply to Northern Seminary to study New Testament, theology, and church history with our fine faculty and me. Our next cohort begins Sept 9-13, and if you can get your application started by 31 July we can get it processed for you. This year’s fourth year MANT students have been studying Romans with me for nearly four years and we now have a book representing this effort. This is the first announcement I have made about... Read more

I try to read one book on writing each year. This year’s book is the always witty Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style. His opening chapter gives twelve words not to use. That’s right, he says, wipe them out entirely. Here they are, well, here is his opening discussion: HERE’S YOUR FIRST CHALLENGE: Go a week without writing very rather really quite [SMcK: on p. 8 one meets “Quite”] in 
fact And you can toss... Read more

From Ron Sider (reformatted), in his new book If Jesus is Lord , But if Jesus is true God as well as true man; if the eternal Son became human not only to die for our sins but also to reveal how we should live; if Jesus claimed to be the long-expected Messiah; if central to Jesus’s gospel is the announcement that the messianic kingdom where forgiveness and shalom reign is now breaking into history in the new community of Jesus’s... Read more

This is the fourth post in a short series on the book of Acts, was written by a Christian colleague (JAG) who teaches in the School of Social Work. Both his professional expertise and his personal experience as a second generation immigrant shape his understanding of the book and bring insights that will help all of us read the book better. He presented the material in a well received class at our church and I am pleased to bring it... Read more

The Friday (of a pastoring, preaching week) chapter in Frank Honeycutt’s Sunday Comes Every Week is about Writing. Some people speak from a full manuscript, some from detailed notes, and some speak more extemporaneously. I agree with Frank Honeycutt: Regardless of eventual predilection in sermon delivery style — complete manuscript, outline, or extemporaneity—it’s important for new pastors to strongly consider writing sermons in full on a particular day of the week. For 31 years he wrote his sermons on Friday morning,... Read more

By Mike Glenn I missed the deadline. The article you’re reading right now was due to Scot yesterday or the day before [SMcK: last Thursday, but that’s OK]. I can’t remember which. It’s not my fault. Really. Let me explain. I was getting ready to write the article. I had my idea. I had the outline. I had just written an eye catching opening line when the phone rang. A young couple in our church was having a baby. Congratulations!... Read more

My lecture notes on the Weak and Strong, now written up in Reading Romans Backwards, or as a friend said to me, “Reading Romans in Reverse.” Free Study Guide “Teaching Romans Backwards” by Becky Castle Miller Weak and Strong in Rome The Weak The Weak are Jewish believers who are in the stream of God’s election and need to be affirmed in their election, but who have questions about the faithfulness of God to that election and who need to embrace... Read more

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. BCP Read more