Category: The Bible

You may think that I’m totally at home reading the Bible. If you spend any time reading my articles here, you know I spend a lot of time inside the Bible. I’m not often comfortable when I’m reading it. I have a difficult time understanding it and I need help from many people who are… Continue reading John Calvin’s Shift on Usury

I received some unusually studied and historical feedback from a reader about my recent article, “Did Jesus Fulfill Prophecy?” involving writing by Justin Martyr. Until this feedback, I was largely unfamiliar with Justin Martyr beyond hearing the name. Justin Martyr was an early church philosopher, and by early, I mean quite early, most estimates of… Continue reading Justin Martyr, Prophecy and the Christological Lens

I was raised in a very peculiar and literalist faith, Seventh Day Adventism. What I inherited in that upbringing was not only an adherence to the belief that the Bible was totally inerrant, but also a belief that if only you could read and interpret it the right way you could unlock God’s rules. For… Continue reading Meaning and Authority Beyond Inerrancy and Literalism

A local church in my town has a statement about the Bible on their website: The only infallible, inerrant and authoritative Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is given to us for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. This seems to be a direct reference to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which I’ll get… Continue reading God Breathes Wisdom Over Rebuke

In 1947 Ella Fitzgerald made one of her most famous recordings, “How High the Moon.” In my favorite section of the recording two minutes in, she quotes Charlie Parker’s Ornithology. I’ve frequently suggested this song to friends, especially those who are new to scat singing or bebop line construction. It’s amazing to me how she… Continue reading The Synoptic Problem

The first three verses of Psalm 69 have been one of my favorite parts of scripture throughout my life. So much so, that I’ve put it to music. Save me, oh God. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed to pray this in the darkest moments of my life. But some of the… Continue reading Vinegar to Drink

“Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?” These words by Janis Joplin in her 1970 song are a terrific critique of materialism, culture and the white protestant focus on privilege and prosperity. It’s ironic, it’s tongue-in-cheek and it does a better job at calling out hypocrisy than many sermons. So when Mercedes-Benz licensed the… Continue reading Literalism is Disrespect

I love Christmas and the Christmas story. Singing angels, gifting Magi, the image of God as humbled as possible as a helpless baby in a manger. But it’s not important to me whether these are literal historical facts about Jesus. If that kind of thing matters to you, stop reading here because my intention is… Continue reading Christmas is More Than a Story