In this article, Bono recounts a conversation he once had with Franklin Graham. It’s kind of funny and reminds me of a couple things: (1) some sectors of evangelicalism don’t quite understand the evangel (the gospel) or how to share it; (2) thank God for the renegade poets who do. Graham: “You … you really…
Here’s what you don’t say when counseling someone who’s come face to face with evil and trauma: “God is in control” or “This was God’s will” or “God did this so you will learn something” or “We shouldn’t ask why ‘bad things happen to good people’ because there are no ‘good people’; we are all sinful,…
*This is a slightly-altered version of an article I posted on social media this past Easter Sunday (2022). When Jesus rose from the dead, God-in-flesh looked death and evil in the face on our behalf and said, “No!” As a result, the empty tomb marks a decisive turn for humanity. The resurrection can’t be detached…
What is a common mistake people make when they read the Bible—particularly the creation stories in Genesis? They forget that it is an ancient text. Why does this matter? Because ancient literature, like modern literature, is embedded with the assumptions of its own time. If we read ancient texts merely from the perspective of our…
In his book, Reversed Thunder, the late Eugene Peterson offers a simple strategy for reading the last book of the New Testament: Before you read Revelation, read all the books that come before it first. He says, “. . . no one has any business reading the last book who has not read the previous…
I have always been a fan of C. S. Lewis. His punchy lines and pensive reflections are something to be admired. My favorite book, by the way, is his Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold. It should be required reading, especially for those who have loved-ones (i.e., all of us). At any rate, I…
In this video, I chat with Matthew J. Thomas (DPhil, University of Oxford). His book Paul’s “Works of the Law” in the Perspective of Second-Century Reception has received high acclaim and continues to generate discussion among those working in Pauline studies. My conversation with Dr. Thomas centers around the doctrine of justification and how thinkers…
My Doktorvater, Thorsten Moritz, posted a fun video today. To say the least, he offers thoughts worth considering! Here is the video, followed by its description: The most widespread method taught in seminaries to move from Bible text/Jesus story to Sunday sermon is called principlizing. You gain an anemic principle with clickbait potential at the…
I am delighted to post a fun interview I recently conducted with Matthew J. Thomas (DPhil, University of Oxford). Matthew is the author of the highly-acclaimed Paul’s “Works of the Law” in the Perspective of Second-Century Reception. I read this book over the Christmas break, and I found it to be a fantastic treat. Matthew’s…
Here is another installment of Practical Theology, an ongoing series of videos that addresses common questions and topics. Because it is Thanksgiving this week, we thought we would chat about what it means to give thanks. What are we really doing when we give thanks to God? What are we really doing when we fail…