Is There a Straw That Can Break the Camel’s Back?

I am still astonished and appalled by the continuing support of so many white Evangelicals for Donald Trump. As I have written elsewhere, there is nothing about Trump which even remotely resembles the life, teachings, deeds, death, and resurrection of Jesus. How can anyone who claims to be a follower… Continue reading

Once to Every Man and Nation

James Russell Lowell wrote the following words: Once to every man and nation Comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth and falsehood, For the good or evil side; Some great cause, some great decision, Offering each the bloom or blight, And the choice goes by forever ‘Twixt that darkness and that light.  There was… Continue reading

Genesis 4:17-26 “The First Things” (The Boast of Lamech) Part 12

The Cain saga continues. The fugitive Cain now lives east of Eden and settles in the land of Nod. He marries a woman and she bears him a son he names Enoch. Cain then builds a city and names it after his son. Once again, we see that we are… Continue reading

What World and What Kingdom?

Scripture can be dangerously misleading if we are ignorant of its meaning and context. Few passages have suffered from such ignorance more than John 18:36. Part of this misunderstanding is based on an unhelpful translation in the Kings James Version which reads, “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this… Continue reading

II Timothy 2:15 “The Luxury and Dangers of Opinions”

My Christian ethics professor was one of the most colorful teachers at the seminary. He was close to retirement when I was in his class. He grew up in North Carolina where he worked in textile mills from childhood through young adulthood when he “discovered that connected to my hands… Continue reading

The Koinonia Witness: Clarence Jordan

Our dear friend Susie Beamer is once again at Koinonia Farm in Georgia. President Carter’s family visited Koinonia while she was there, and Susie and others at Koinonia had lunch with the Carter family. She sent her friends a photo of her arm around Rosalynn Carter. President Carter had planned… Continue reading

Matthew 5: 14-16 “The Light of the World”

Whenever I hear this passage, I think of that song I was taught as a child and with which many of you are familiar: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” But there is a major problem with that song-especially if it has this passage in… Continue reading