As I read the last section of The Lost World of Scripture by John Walton and D. Brent Sandy it became apparent that there was more than one post worth of material here for us to chew on. John and Brent begin by listing some safe and some unsafe conclusions concerning Scripture and biblical authority. Here “safe” means within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy and a high view of Scripture as an authoritative revelation of God. They are not presenting... Read more

Does the Book of Revelation refer to yet future events? Does it use images that are most/entirely timeless? Or does the Book of Revelation have visions that are/were then already past events? We can leave open, of course, a variety of mixing affirmative answers to each of the questions. How the church has read Revelation is the focus of Craig Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, chapter one. Take the millennium in Revelation 20. Rev. 20:1   Then I saw... Read more

By Mike Glenn Most evangelicals are pro-life and while we may disagree at the exact moment when we believe life begins, most evangelicals would find themselves on the pro-life side of the spectrum. Most of us do not believe in abortion on demand, and we have a growing discomfort with terminating a pregnancy the longer the child is carried. Like I say, we’ll argue over who’s more conservative on this issue, but most of us would agree to a fairly... Read more

On John McCain’s faith: When Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) passed away on Saturday evening, he saw in person the God to whom he had prayed for five and a half years in a Vietnamese prison camp. McCain’s faith in God sustained him during the darkest part of his life. McCain was a war hero because when the North Vietnamese offered him unconditional release less than a year after his Navy bomber was shot down, he refused, demanding that the Vietnamese... Read more

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; 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

Ask Scot (Part 2) – KR 103 Want to ask Scot a question for the next podcast? Record your question here >> www.seminary.edu/askscot/ In this episode Scot fields questions submitted by Kingdom Roots listeners. Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, pastor/scholar interaction, moral failings by church leaders, and original sin are the type of topics addressed in this episode. Suggested Resource: Conformed to the Image of His Son: Reconsidering Paul’s Theology of Glory in Romans – amzn.to/2NbNrip Read more

Wonderful wonderful wonderful week with my MA in New Testament Context cohort. Ah, the church is in good hands. Under the careful gaze of Morton Arboretum’s trolls. Cool Farmers in a small area of southern Mexico knew that a variety of corn grown in the area was special. But a group of researchers believe the corn could ultimately transform the way the largest crop in America and the world is grown. The potential improvements in water and air quality –... Read more

We continue our series on the apostolic fathers as look into 1 Clement 59-61. Our series uses for its text Michael Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers. 1 Clement is from a leader in Rome to the leaders and people of Corinth, and in chps 56-58 he turns to the factions and fractions in Corinth with some corruption in leadership. The “him” of 59:1 is the Lord, and the author of the letter but a mouthpiece of the Lord. 1Clem. 59:1   ... Read more

What is the difference between a dead dog and a dead chemistry professor lying in the middle of the road? I’ve been at the American Chemical Society meeting in Boston all week – so there have been plenty of chemistry professors around. As far as I know none were lying in the middle of the road. These meetings are always a good chance to reconnect with old friends and to learn what other groups are doing. This week I had... Read more

I begin a new series on miracles, focusing on Luke Timothy Johnson’s new book  Miracles: God’s Presence and Power in Creation. Yes or Almost No or No? That’s the theme of the first chapter. Yes Everything in Christianity hangs on the miraculous: no God, no act of God in reality, no resurrection, no miracles by Jesus — no faith left. Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 15. The heart of the Christian message was, in turn, the greatest sign... Read more