The human body is a wonderful metaphor for the Church; last summer, you might remember, we used this metaphor to point out how we are sacrificing for the good of the body like the white blood cells of our immune system. Today, I’d like to key in on 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, noticing the theme there... Continue Reading →
I Support Life
I SUPPORT LIFE! I’ve seen this quoted several times this week, because of the annual March for Life and the recent vote by New York lawmakers to radically expand legal abortions within that state. I identify myself with the life and teachings of Jesus and therefore I must align myself with the idea that I... Continue Reading →
Why Couldn’t Jesus Forgive?
Why Would Jesus say “Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)? In all the years I’ve been reading the Bible I’ve never really thought about this question, and when my friend Amy asked it, I was just floored. For some background, at this point Jesus is hanging on a... Continue Reading →
What is Forgiveness?
I think the best way to take questions of forgiveness is to begin by understanding the need for forgiveness. Forgiveness presupposes that two individuals have in the past had a relationship and that this relationship has been strained or broken. This principle holds true whether we talk of a relationship between humans or a relationship... Continue Reading →
If homosexuality was so prevalent of the time of Jesus Christ; do you think if he really thought it was a problem he would have addressed it himself?
The first thing to consider in this question is Jesus’ background. Though he lived in the larger Roman Empire where sexual morals were as lax as any in modern America, he also lived within a specific culture within the Roman world, Judaism, and that shaped him far more than Greco-Roman thought. First century Judaism had... Continue Reading →
In a world where there are so many different religions, how can you be sure you have chosen the right one?
I love the quote from the famous Christian thinker Origen of Alexandria, "[In] advanced matters of theology absolute confidence is possible only for two classes of people, saints and idiots." Meaning it is difficult to have complete certainty about God all of the time. The basic answer is, continue to ask questions to become a... Continue Reading →
Is religion a coping mechanism?
Well yes, religion (all religions) is a coping mechanism at least if we define coping mechanism as a tool to help us overcome the stress, trauma, and other disappointments of life. [Though I categorically reject the idea that says, “religion is a crutch for weak minded people who need strength in numbers” -Jesse Ventura]. But,... Continue Reading →
What makes one religion the right one?
Religions are worldviews. Each religion is making a claim to know how the world started and what meaning there is in the cosmos and how humans can fit into the picture. Religions are seeking to provide individuals with a pattern for living which allows them to harmonize with the order of creation. [at this point... Continue Reading →
When the judgement of Jesus did not happen in the generation of the first Christians, did the religion change as a result?
This question is based on a very specific reading of the New Testament favored by certain critical scholars. The reading goes like this: Passages in some of the earliest Christian documents (e.g. 1 Corinthians 7:29, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, James 5:8) talk of Jesus returning soon. Passages in later writings (e.g. Matthew 24-25, Mark 13) talk... Continue Reading →
You’re not thinking Fifth-dimensionally!
How many remember Professor Emmett Brown in Back to the Future repeatedly saying, “You’re just not thinking fourth-dimensionally.”, to a dumbfounded Marty McFly. I have spent my day working through the first chapter of 1 Peter, for Bible study. A quick confession, I never realized how much depth 1 Peter 1:1-12 contained. As I was... Continue Reading →
Squinting in the Light 