Both heaven and sky are possible meanings of shamayim/ ouranos. But I am convinced that most English versions overuse the gloss “heaven” and rarely use the more basic gloss “sky.” The result is that some of the original intended meaning of certain texts is obscured.
Read Moreabout Christianity. I myself have found myself slipping into this temptation that so easily entangles. Many apologists begin studying apologetics with great intentions: to bolster their faith or the faith of their fellow Christians, to become a more confident and effective ambassador for Christ, etc. However, it is easy to lose sight of these goals and become distracted by our prideful nature. Yes, the danger of apologetics is arrogance.
Read More“What did the Adventist publications say about women earning the right to vote?”
This was one question that came to my mind while I was visiting Aurora University, doing some research in their Adventist archival collection. I was entertaining questions in my mind about how Advent Christians reacted publicly to major current events. Case in point – the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women (who were legal US citizens) the right to vote. And so, I began to read.
Read MoreThere is something about the holidays that begins to stir deep dark waters of childhood emotions within me and threatens to sweep me up in rip currents and deposit me far away from my grounding in Christ – the tide of unforgiveness rises in my heart and I must seek higher ground. While my issues stem from growing up with an emotionally neglectful alcoholic mother and an absent father, I am sure I am not alone during the holidays.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever wondered where you would stand on human rights issues of the past if you had lived through them (I.e. American slavery, the Holocaust if you lived in Germany), or whether you would have stood up for what is right in a culture that was morally indifferent on a certain evil, you can get a pretty good idea of where you would land back then by examining where you stand on the mass murder of our day: Abortion.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever wondered where you would stand on human rights issues of the past if you had lived through them (I.e. American slavery, the Holocaust if you lived in Germany), or whether you would have stood up for what is right in a culture that was morally indifferent on a certain evil, you can get a pretty good idea of where you would land back then by examining where you stand on the mass murder of our day: Abortion.
Read MoreThe United States has been through the wringer in the past few weeks. This election has turned friends into enemies and tolerance seems to have all but died. But there is another side of this election that affects evangelism greatly. There have been many self-proclaimed prophets claiming that they had heard from God that Donald Trump would win the election, and they “prophesied” just that.
Read MoreJefferson Vann is working on a Bible translation project. But what would really help is having some other eyes to look at his work, ask questions, and give advice. That is where you come in. If you decide to bless him by reading this blog, would you consider being even more of a blessing by becoming a member of his informal translation committee?
Read MoreEveryday he knocks, rapping on my door.
“Come out my friend into the darkness, sin a little more!”
Cults such as Mormonism often take unclear passages of scripture and make more out of them than is justified by the context, original language, or, more importantly, the teaching of the rest of the Bible.
Read MoreToday is election day. And it is an unusually important one in the eyes of many. If you look to either end of the political spectrum, you will quickly hear that this election will determine if our democratic-republic stands or falls. Worse yet, many claim that the fate of our entire planet rests on this day and on who is elected as the next president of the United States of America. There are concerns of political unrest, and, in some places, threats have even been made against people who may vote for the “unfavorable” candidate.
Read MoreA funny thing can happen once we cast our ballot and the election is decided…
Read MoreChristianity has historically taken to the task to bring imaginative detail to the lacuna and difficulties of the biblical text. This imagination finds full and wonderful expression in the church’s art, homiletic tradition, and symbol. Rather than invest in the continuation and growth of such expressions, the new fad of a thinking Christianity is one at least obliquely initiated in the pursuits of historical criticism…
Read MoreEvery year, toward the end of October, the church experiences a difficult division amongst believers. Questions begin floating around the congregation: “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” “Is Halloween pagan?” and the like. There are so many different aspects to consider when tackling this topic, but we’ll just look at a couple.
Read MoreOver the last several months, it's felt like the Church in America is experiencing a reformation of sorts. As I've been thinking about what this reformation moment might be about, here's a ticket to my train of thought. Welcome aboard.
Read MoreWe are by nature worshipers. We worship with our mind, our emotions, our will and our words. These dynamics are in one sense working simultaneously and apply to false worship, as well as, to the worship that the living God calls us to give to him. Another way to look at worship is to speak of the levels of worship.
Read MoreI ask a lot of questions. I am a question asker. Sometimes, I voice those questions aloud. But, normally I’m quiet. Silent, and with a racing mind that is full of questions.
Read MoreI tend to overthink things. I think? And have the habit of regularly second-guessing myself. (Maybe.)
I say this in jest, but it is also true. (I've found no one ever really "jokes," it's usually an attempt at a "sideways truth," a way of saying what you actually think while hiding behind the safety of "humor.")
Read More
