And the Spirit was hovering over the waters… (Gen 1:2b) I’ve always been intrigued by the Spirit of God hovering over the watery chaos just before God speaks order into the vast and formless deep. On the one hand we have the watery...
I’ve always been a bit confused by the fact that the disciples weren’t expecting Jesus to come back to life after his brutal death on the cross. At the same time, it’s no surprise because the disciples quite consistent don’t...
The Old Testament is constantly battling to dethrone the myth that power is manifest in human might and strength. The book of Isaiah in particular takes up a polemic against this wrong conceptualization of power. We find this in one of the most...
I love Dallas Willard (sadly, Willard passed away May 2013). I estimate that Willard’s work stands among the classics of Christian thinkers of the millenium. Willard’s work has brought tremendous light and depth to my own thought-life, especially on...
The story of the fall of humanity in Genesis 3 is one of the most popular and memorable stories in the Bible. There are a number of features of the story that make it memorable. Simply the idea of a pure and innocent place grabs our attention. We...
In the historical books we read the details of the tragedy of Israel. There are certainly moments of victory, but most of the developments and pivots in Israel’s story are, sadly, defeats. The book of judges depicts a tribal confederation that all...
(There will be two parts to this post about my conversation with an orthodox Jew on an airplane) As long as I can remember I have been fascinated with Judaism. I’m always learning everything I can about the various forms of modern-day Judaism. I’ve...
I really appreciate Oswald Chambers. He had a sharp mind. I don’t know how many times I’ve read My Utmost for His Highest and it’s still my first choice for a daily devo. Through Chambers, God has often times corrected my theology (good theology, by...
So what are some of the pivotal paradoxes of Christian theology? The list if endless. There are a few, however, that I sense are more important for the current Church to be reminded of: 1. The Trinity: God is Three, but One 2. The Nature of Jesus:...
To be a Christian is to believe in a long list of mysteries. Let me explain. When you think about it, so many of the essential doctrines of the Church are paradoxes. A paradox, by definition, is a contradiction. For many this reality is a problem...