Rejoicing in the Midst of Vulnerability “My soul magnifies the Lord,” young Mary said. The fear had passed. The message that had come to her in her solitude, that she would conceive and bear a son, had startled and confused her… how could it be? She was a teenager, barely of childbearing age, still unmarried. Pregnant. In a patriarchal culture. In an occupied land, at a volatile time, when tensions were high. She could expect to be shamed, shunned, perhaps deserted... Read more
The prophet Isaiah claimed that "all flesh" shall see the salvation of God. How can we participate in the salvation of all flesh, including refugee flesh? Join Rev. Adam Ericksen as he explores this topic in his latest sermon. Read more
Is preaching about racism helpful? What are some helpful ways we can use the Bible to preach about racism? Join Adam Ericksen and Carolyn Helsel as they talk about her latest book, "Preaching about Racism" in the latest episode of the Ravencast! Read more
Welcome to the second installment of the Girardian Virtual Bible Study. You can join Lindsey and Adam on the live Bible Study with your comments and questions on the Raven Foundation Facebook page every Wednesday morning at 10:00 am Central, 8:00 am Pacific. If you can’t make the live show, you can watch the recording or listen to the MP3 the following day here on the Raven Review. For more on the work of René Girard and the Bible, we highly recommend Paul Nuechterlein’s website Girardian... Read more
Prof. Paul Dumouchel, respected scholar of political philosophy and an expert in mimetic theory, applied Girard’s insights about rivalry and conflict to a variety of issues, including President Trump’s rejection of his own government’s reports on the impact of climate change and the involvement of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Suzanne Ross guided this illuminating conversation. Read more
Girardian Virtual Bible Study The Advent Season is underway! Last week Adam Ericksen and I prepared ourselves for this season of hope and anticipation by hosting our first ever Girardian Virtual Bible Study. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us, and those who watched and listened when the video was posted later. We plan to continue to host this virtual Bible Study weekly throughout the year, same time, same place. So tomorrow, Wednesday December 5th at 10:00 am CT, please join... Read more
Why do Christians light Advent Candles? Why do Jews light the Menorah? Join Adam Ericksen as he explains in his latest sermon! Read more
God's kingdom comes from a place not infected by the virus of “us against them,” all against one, winner takes all. Read more
Welcome to the first installment of the Girardian Virtual Bible Study. You can join Lindsey and Adam on the live Bible Study with your comments and questions on the Raven Foundation Facebook page every Wednesday morning at 10:00 am Central, 8:00 am Pacific. If you can’t make the live show, you can watch the recording or listen to the MP3 the following day here on Teaching Nonviolent Atonement. For more on the work of René Girard and the Bible, we highly... Read more
Many Evangelical Christians and almost every fundamentalist claim that you must fear God. They quote certain passages in scripture like, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). Indeed, there are passages in the Bible that seem to emphasize “fear” of God. The word translated as fear is rooted in the Hebrew word “yara.” It can be translated as either “fear” or “reverence.” There is some evidence that it literally means “flow from the gut.” (Yep,... Read more
Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
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