We were discussing the theme of quality of life recently n one of my ethics courses. A student named Jeff spoke up about his late mother-in-law. No, it was not a mother-in-law joke. Rather, it was a story of how much his mother-in-law meant to him. Jeff’s mother-in-law lived with his family for eighteen years. She suffered from dementia during her final years, where she could only function with assistance. A family friend once remarked “I’d rather be dead” when... Read more

A friend of mine named Lynnette shared with me that her children have “extensive life-threatening food allergies, and one also has a rare disease that affects his digestive system.” She readily admits that other people cope with disabilities that are even more challenging and “all-encompassing.” Yet that does not minimize the significant dose of negative reactions and exclusion they have endured. Lynnette shared the following to illustrate their situation: When my boys were toddlers and there was a risk of... Read more

Last week, President Donald Trump ridiculed Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s Senate testimony. Just as troubling as his mockery of Dr. Ford was the applause and laughter of those standing behind President Trump at his rally. Ridicule and mockery have been a constant tactic in Trump’s effort to win since he was a Republican candidate for President of the United States. And yet, while such ridicule and mockery have helped him win to this point, the end does not justify the means.... Read more

Jesus stretches his followers’ spiritual skin. Do we resist Jesus’ teaching and way of life, or invite him to stretch us daily as he seeks to pour his new wine into new wineskins? Consider Luke chapter 5, where Jesus responds to the Pharisees and scribes’ challenge about his disciples eating and drinking rather than fasting: And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said... Read more

After returning from the mosque years ago, one of my students remarked, “I was hoping we would have heard from a real Muslim.” What is a real Muslim? My world religions class has the privilege several weeks during the semester to hear from leaders of various faith traditions: Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Pagan, Hindu, and Buddhist. During the semester in which the student made the remark years ago, the Muslim leader in question was a white American convert to Islam and... Read more

The American Bar Association called yesterday for delaying a Senate vote on Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination until the FBI can investigate allegations of sexual misconduct. What is perhaps most striking is that prior to the allegations by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and other women the ABA had approved Judge Kavanaugh as well-qualified for the highest court in the land. The reason for the call to delay is based on respect for justice and the judicial process. In a letter to the... Read more

The Christian life is one of constant discovery, even rediscovery. With this point in mind, I asked my longstanding friend and colleague John MacMurray to share about his new book, A Spiritual Evolution: Rediscovering the Greatest Story Ever Told. One of the qualities I have long admired in my brother John is his willingness to be stretched and to grow, to go in search of rediscovery, asking tough questions no matter where they lead, even at great cost to himself.... Read more

The Gospel requires embodied truth. A doctrine, no matter how true, does not go far enough. The Scriptures are quite clear on this matter, even the passage in which we find a key text for the doctrine of biblical inspiration. 2 Timothy 3:16 reads, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (ESV). I was taught and teach that this text refers to the verbal plenary inspiration of the... Read more

By Paul Louis Metzger and John W. Morehead*                                                                                                                                                 ... Read more

The Great Commission necessitates honest confession, including doubts. Recently I read through Matthew’s Gospel for my devotions. I have often been struck by the emphasis on “God with us” in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew 1:23 and Matthew 28:20 bookend the gospel with their emphasis on God with us at Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1:23) and Jesus being with us always—to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20): “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”... Read more