How manifest was Jesus’ destiny as King of God’s kingdom? Not very. Unlike America’s destiny which was proclaimed or made manifest to the nations as exceptional and second to none, Jesus’ kingdom was not very visible or exceptional by human standards. After all, John the Baptist only knows Jesus is the Messiah because of the Spirit’s descent as a dove upon Jesus at his baptism of repentance in the wilderness (See John 1:33). A dove? A baptism of repentance? In... Read more
Jesus exhorted his followers sent out on mission to be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves in their missional activity. It was important that they combine the traits of both creatures in their witness given that they were being sent out as sheep among wolves. They would face severe danger and persecution for their witness to Christ: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew... Read more
If you drive quickly through Luke 3, you might miss the significance of Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:21) and genealogy (Luke 3:23-38) for his identity and mission. Jesus undergoes John’s baptism of repentance (See Mark 1:4) and Luke’s gospel makes a point of tracing Jesus’ lineage all the way back to Adam (whereas Matthew, given the author’s Jewish emphasis, traces it back to Abraham; see Matthew 1:1-17). The long and the short of it is that Jesus does not drop down... Read more
I don’t envy mothers, but I sure do respect them. They carry their children for months as they cope with nausea and kicks and then give birth to them, often in great pain. The pain does not end there for mothers, as they bear with the kicks and punches life brings their way through their children’s decisions, sorrows, and losses. Of course, there are also the joys of holding their children close and watching them succeed in small and great... Read more
Mission is not extraneous to the triune God’s being and activity. It is central. God is missional, for it is bound up with God’s communal being. Take for example the word “love.” 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. Love is an active word. Love requires an object. I cannot be loving, if I have never loved another. It is not enough to love myself. The love of myself in isolation from another is not love, but a... Read more
Happy Fifth Anniversary, Patheos! I have decided to honor your fifth year anniversary by highlighting five key themes that I address at my blog, “Uncommon God, Common Good”. 1. Trinitarian Thought: The title of my blog “Uncommon God, Common Good” and the picture that accompanies it (based upon Andrei Rublev’s icon of the Holy Trinity) seeks to capture my conviction that the Trinity is not the greatest problem or puzzle to solve, but that the Trinity is the very means... Read more
Perhaps you have seen the Simpsons episode titled “She of Little Faith.” Homer is responsible for accidentally burning down the church that he and his family attend. The church community sells their collective soul to the nuclear power plant owner (who is the devil in disguise) to refinance and rebuild the sanctuary. The result is a “faith-based emporium” with comfortable theater seating for religious consumers, a pulpit bearing a screen for advertisements, and a money-changing booth. The satirical account in... Read more
If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do today? The last time our society pondered seriously questions like this was in late 2012. You might recall the discussions, fears and anxieties leading up to December 21st of that year. People were speculating and debating at length about a Nostradamus prediction and how the Mayan calendar ends that day. My theology class started considering the question yesterday in view of the upcoming final exam slated for next week:... Read more
Perhaps you have watched the video, “What kind of Asian are you?” The humorous video reflects a common tendency for white Americans (especially those of second, third and fourth generation status) to assume that they are simply “regular” Americans, as the white man in the video says. Everyone else is something in particular, or “irregular.” We easily carry this perspective over into theology. There is Black theology, Native American theology, Latin American theology, Asian American theology…. Rarely do I find attention being given in my... Read more
Last week, I wrote a blog post titled “Christian Survival Kits in a Post-Christendom Society, Part I.” In that post discussing the loss of Christian cultural influence in American society, I asked the following question: “if the American church were stranded on a life raft out at sea, what would we see as the critical items that we would need to survive as the cultural currents change and as the winds and waves press against us?” Several suggestions were offered. One item missing... Read more
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