Part Two of this series entitled “You Can’t Go Home Again” ended with the suggestion that Christians should best be envisioned as pilgrims rather than wanderers. Pilgrims are on the move toward a goal. They are not homesteaders, but they do have a destination. If our primary calling is to… Continue reading
In part one of this series, we looked at the universal experience of how difficult it is for us to return to our original “homes” after having been absent for some time. We have changed and so have the people of our hometown, but too often we have not changed… Continue reading
In Thomas Wolfe’s novel You Can’t Go Home Again, author George Webber experiences the painful truth that it’s impossible to return to his hometown and feel “at home.” He has changed, but for the most part, his family and childhood friends are virtually the same. Many of us have experienced… Continue reading
I am often asked if I believe in the Second Coming. My response is, “l believe in the parousia which is what the New Testament teaches.” Now that is not just a smart-alecky answer. As we shall see, what the New Testament teaches about the parousia (what most call “the… Continue reading
(Parousia is the Greek word used in the New Testament which is commonly understood as the Second Coming. Parousia simply means “presence” or “appearing.” It is one of the metaphors used in the Bible and theology to refer to the fulfillment of God’s purpose for creation. Like all metaphors, it… Continue reading
LITERALISM: With the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment which occurred in Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries, humans (at least, some of them) began to emphasize reason and science in their interpretation of the world. Superstition gave way to a more objective pursuit of knowledge and truth…. Continue reading
THE LEGACY OF AUGUSTINE: Perhaps the theologian who has most influenced Western Christianity is Augustine (354-430 CE) who became the Bishop if Hippo in North Africa. Augustine was a genius whose thought often focused on the inner life of individuals. He was the church father who emphasized Original Sin and… Continue reading
In part one of this series, I focused on the disconnect between the teachings and example of Jesus and the practice and theology of the church throughout history. In part two, we looked at two of the reasons for this historical disconnect: the abandonment of Christianity’s Jewish heritage and the… Continue reading
In part one of this series, I wrote about a fundamental disconnect between the life and message of Jesus and Christianity as it has been practiced over the centuries. Of course, there have been times when the church and individual Christians have been faithful to the revelation of God revealed… Continue reading
Consider this remarkable fact: in the Sermon on the Mount, there is not a single word about what to believe, only words about what to do and how to be. By the time the Nicene Creed is written, only three centuries later, there is not a single word in it… Continue reading
