What’s in an NFL Uniform?

Last updated on: August 6, 2015 at 6:35 am By Scot McKnight

Jesus or Nietzsche? Trusting Again in a Cynical World

Last updated on: August 9, 2015 at 4:58 am By Scot McKnight

JESUS OR NIETZSCHE? TRUSTING AGAIN IN A CYNICAL WORLD Mark Meynell is Associate Director of Langham Partnership International. Meynell is based in London. Previously, he served for several years as a minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place in London. Meynell’s new book, A Wilderness of Mirrors: Trusting Again in a Cynical World framed this interview. The interview was conducted by David George Moore. Dave blogs at www.twocities.org. Moore: You mention that this book was four years in the making. ... Read more

Weekly Meanderings, 8 August 2015

Last updated on: August 8, 2015 at 6:59 am By Scot McKnight

Is the decade of the City? Mexico’s largest mural: Image PACHUCA, Mexico (AP) — A community project in central Mexico is bringing art to people’s homes. Literally. A group of artists known as the Germ Collective have spent 14 months turning the hillside neighborhood of Las Palmitas into a giant, colorful mural in an effort to bring the working-class “barrio” together and change its gritty image. Working hand-in-hand with residents, muralists have painted the facades of 200 homes bright lavender,... Read more

Getting Your Wilderness On (by John Frye)

Last updated on: August 6, 2015 at 7:08 am By Scot McKnight

What if our practice of confessing sins is the equivalent of the Pharisees’ tithing? Those disciplined religious leaders gave a tenth of their spices—mint, dill, and cummin, but neglected the weightier God-issues like justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Various streams of American evangelicalism have codified their litany of sins to be confessed. For some, it’s dancing, smoking, playing with “devil cards,”and drinking; for others, it’s lying and taking home office paper clips. For some, it’s sanctioned speech which whistles many words... Read more

What is a “Prophet”?

Last updated on: August 6, 2015 at 5:16 pm By Scot McKnight

That’s a good question, What is a prophet? An even better question is, Who is a prophet? Or, Is so-and-so a prophet? In his new and very good book, Interpreting the Prophets, Aaron Chalmers sketches an answer to our titled question: What is a prophet? Before we get to Chalmers, this must be said: Critics of the President, the Governor, the Mayor or the government and its policies is for many today the prophets. That is, a recent series of books... Read more

In the Heartland with the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

Last updated on: August 7, 2015 at 2:21 pm By Scot McKnight

In my first year as a seminary professor I made a friend with a student who, along with his wife Sarah, have remained friends for 30 years: Scott Wagoner. Scott was not only a very fine student but a solid Christian, became a pastor and then has moved more into denominational leadership. Scott was my grad assistant and he was followed by his friend, now our friend along with his wife Willa: Matt Williams (prof at Biola). What connected them... Read more

I Dare You to Change! (RJS)

Last updated on: August 6, 2015 at 6:44 am By RJS

Change is hard. Changing a position on any significant issue involves a disruption of social networks. This disruption can be painful. Today I would like to highlight two projects connected to the BioLogos Evolution and Christian Faith program that deal with the issues surrounding change. Justin Topp, involved with Craig Story in the project Moving Pastors Toward Scientific Literacy, had an interesting post on the BioLogos blog last week: Creation and Evolution “Research Programs” (And Why It’s So Hard to... Read more

Harper Lee’s Original Novel (or was it?)

Last updated on: August 5, 2015 at 3:38 pm By Scot McKnight

My response to Harper Lee’s novel, Go Set a Watchman. Spoiler alert: you may learn things here you’d rather not know if you plan to read the novel. As with her previous novel, there’s plenty of n-words at work in the narrative. True to its day, illustrating over and over the systemic evil. I’m no expert on Harper Lee, and even less an expert on fiction. But I give today some reflections on this penetrating novel. It deeply disturbed me. I... Read more

For the Classroom

Last updated on: August 4, 2015 at 1:59 am By Scot McKnight

This is the time of year when publishers offer new books for the classroom — and I want to mention five splendid ones, and I will be blogging about some of these too. David P. Capes, Rodney Reeves, E. Randolph Richards, Rediscovering Jesus: An Introduction to Biblical, Religious and Cultural Perspectives on Jesus. The heart of the gospel is christology; the heart of the NT is christology; here is a textbook, then, that takes us to the heart of the gospel... Read more

Was Christ’s Death an Honor Death? (by Jackson Wu)

Last updated on: August 4, 2015 at 1:54 am By Scot McKnight

Few things perplex and upset Westerners more than “honor killings.” Of course, there are good reasons people find the practice deplorable. Image permission In recent years, reports of honor killings have become far more common. For examples, you can click here, here, and here. An honor killing occurs when a person does something deemed shameful by one’s family or village. Typically, they involve a woman who is accused of illicit sexual relations with someone with whom she is not married.... Read more