To “eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil” can be interpreted as trying to grasp everything without obtaining the necessary wisdom and experience required to have or be in proper relationship with anything. Continue reading
Equality and fraternity (the common good) have never enjoyed the same emphasis and evolution as liberty (defined as the right and ability of individuals to do whatever they choose.) Equality and the common good require restraints, justice, fairness, the experience of authentic community, and basic human decency to survive and thrive. Continue reading
One distinctive feature of Jesus’ teachings was a lack of holiness language. In the place of holiness, Jesus put mercy. Continue reading
There is no reference in the Bible to any everlasting place of punishment and torture beyond death. That belief is based on horrible translations of Hebrew and Greek words. Continue reading
There are times when translations fail miserably to capture the truth of certain words. The very meaning of those words can become lost in poor, distorted, or wrong translations. In this series, I want to mention several distortions found today in many English translations of the Bible which have had profoundly tragic consequences. Continue reading
I would suggest the greatest threat to AMERICAN Christianity is Jesus himself. The Jesus of the Gospels is a stranger to most Christians in the USA. Fundamentalist and conservative Evangelicals promote a version of the faith based on fear, exclusivism, the “hereafter,” legalism, arrogance, and a dearth of compassion. In their preaching and theology, good news has become bad news. Continue reading
I have always maintained that Paul has been misunderstood by most people in the church and by a lot of biblical scholars. Today’s New Testament experts who specialize in the study of Paul’s letters present a very different Paul from those of the past. Like many disciplines, biblical scholarship displays a contrast between older and younger scholars. The Paul who is emerging today is far more radical, inclusive, loving, and hopeful than the Paul of the past. Continue reading
(31 minutes) I was invited to deliver the sermon at Downey Avenue Christian Church on July 30, 2023. It is based on the vision and ministry of Clarence Jordan, who in 1942 led in establishing Koinonia Farm, christened with a Greek word meaning “a community that is united by common… Continue reading
Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” All three of the Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke) report the conversation between Jesus and the scribe/lawyer who asked the question. It’s intriguing to compare these three accounts (Mark 12:28-34; Matthew 22:34-40; and Luke 10:25-28). I would assume that Jesus often… Continue reading
So, let’s assume for a moment there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe and such beings are “more advanced” than we are. What are some theological implications of that possibility for Christian faith? Continue reading
