The Upside-Down Kingdom, Chapter 9: Lovable Enemies Whenever I read a chapter of any non-fiction book I look for “the paragraph” that most clearly spells out its thesis. And I often look for the one that takes the argument of the chapter to its natural conclusion. Tear away all the factoids and tangents, however important they may be, and find the paragraph that shocks and really makes the chapter come alive and gives me something to think about and wrestle... Read more

Is the New Testament Message Unique? I have readers of this blog who love to criticize our evangelical Christian belief in the “sacred book” the Bible because 1) it is not inerrant like a modern science textbook (is any science textbook inerrant?), and 2) it is not always easy to understand (what book or document of any real importance is easy to understand?). One direction in which my mind goes is what I believe is unique about the Bible, especially... Read more

The Upside-Down Kingdom, Chapter 8: Impious Piety We continue here our discussion of Donald Kraybill’s classic book “The Upside Down Kingdom.” Chapter 8 is titled “Impious Piety” and deals with religious practices, especially among Christians. It begins, however, with a rather lengthy explanation of Hebrew religious practices in Jesus’s time and before and after. Kraybill argues that Jesus was not a rebel against true Judaism but one against the extreme legalism of the “scribes and the Pharisees.” That legalism included... Read more

Proposal for a Green Letter Bible There are already many “Red Letter Bibles” in which Jesus’s words are printed in red. I grew up with one. I remember at about age twelve wondering how Jesus could have said much of what was in red, especially in John 1. There is also the “Blue Letter Bible” project promoted especially by Calvary Chapels, a denomination founded by Jesus People leader Chuck Smith. However, if I understand correctly, that is not literally to... Read more

A Dark and Disturbing Time for America After many days of confusion and turmoil, the United States House of Representatives has finally chosen its Speaker, the person second in line to the presidency (after the vice president). The Speaker has tremendous power over law-making in America. The Republican majority voted in Mike Johnson, Republican congressman from Louisiana. I do not know anything about him except what I have seen on the news. He has stated before his almost unconditional support... Read more

The Upside-Down Kingdom, Chapter 7:  Right-Side Up Detours Whenever I read a chapter for discussion, especially if I’m leading the discussion, I try to locate THE paragraph that best expresses the point of the chapter. Here is one I chose for Chapter 7: “God’s love for us transforms our economic behavior. Mercy, not accumulation, becomes our new yardstick for measuring success. Generous giving replaces conspicuous consumption. God’s highest command forms the core of this upside-down way. Loving God with all... Read more

Should Christian Colleges and Universities Allow Nude Modeling in Art Classes? This might seem like an odd question to some, perhaps many, of my readers. But those of you who are well-connected insiders to the American evangelical world will probably understand the problem. Just to remind everyone, I taught in three evangelical Christian institutions of higher education (arts and sciences colleges and universities) over 36 years. I ran into this question and issue many times. It was and I assume... Read more

“Community” versus “Group” (Critique of Media Use of Language) I realize some will accuse me of picking on a minor issue that might only be a pet peeve. In reality, I’m using this issue as one example of what I notice in American culture these days—a sometimes subtle ideological use (or abuse) of language. I watch these evening national news reports daily: NBC, CBS, and ABC. I am not always able to watch all three, so I rotate my viewing.... Read more

The Upside-Down Kingdom: Chapter 6: Luxurious Poverty I’m curious why more people aren’t commenting on The Upside-Down Kingdom. Either fewer than usual are reading the chosen book this time, or people just don’t have much to say about the chapters. Or both. I find every chapter of the book very convicting, very controversial, even within myself. I was raised in a church that tended to spiritualize all that Kraybill is talking about. We were poor, but we interpreted “poverty” and... Read more

Christian Zionism Explained What is “Christian Zionism?” Well, there is no headquarters or all-inclusive organization, so I can’t speak for or about ALL Christian Zionists. However, I grew up in a church and denomination that I later realized was steeped in Christian Zionism (and probably still is). I discovered over my years in the American academic world that very few people know about Christian Zionism. The definitive book about evangelical Christian Zionism is by Timothy Weber and is titled “On... Read more