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Writing

Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Biblical Studies

Tweets-turned-Notes on the Bible’s Chronology

Summary In what follows, I will consider the “year-stamps” employed in Scripture, i.e., statements of the form, “Such-and-such an event took place in the Xth year of Y.” In the process, I will suggest some ways in which the Biblical narrative might relate to events in the extra-Biblical world, though…

by James BejonJuly 16, 2019
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Luke

Perspectives on the Prodigal, (Part 2)

In the first essay on the parable of the Prodigal Son, I suggested that the problems commentators and others encounter in interpreting Jesus three-part parable are not accidental. These are not just problems in our ignorance of cultural background. They are intentional features of the stories —stories designed to poke…

by Ralph Allan SmithJuly 11, 2019
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Luke

Perspectives on the Prodigal, (Part 1)

The story of the Prodigal Son is perhaps the most well-known story in the Bible. As others have observed, it may also be one of the most misunderstood. In two short essays, I will point out features of this story that are commonly neglected, aspects of Jesus’ parable that might…

by Ralph Allan SmithJuly 9, 2019
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Luke

Lazarus and the Rich Man

The parable of Lazarus and the nameless rich man is not an independent story. It is part of a long context that begins in Luke 15:1, where Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners and the scribes and Pharisees grumble. In response to their hardheartedness, Jesus tells a three-part…

by Ralph Allan SmithJuly 4, 2019
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Luke

Everybody has Dropsy - Luke 14:1-24

The Bible is written so that even when a reader cannot pick up on what might be deeper or more detailed aspects of a text, there is virtually always a message to be heard. In the ancient world, where the “reader” of Scripture would likely be a church official facing…

by Ralph Allan SmithJuly 2, 2019
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Biblical Theology

Fruit Trees and Grain Plants

The distinction between garden (or vineyard) and field begins in Genesis 2. This relates to the ordering of the formless world. Plants of the field are contrasted with the garden planted by God in Genesis 2:5&8. Later on, under the Old Covenant the Israelites will be required to keep their…

by James B. JordanJune 27, 2019

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Literature

Joyce “For Dummies”

If you are looking for a quickie introduction to Joyce’s Ulysses (and, gosh, who isn’t?), you might check out this site . Don’t neglect to examine the home page, and the exchange of letters regarding the web site’s disclaimer.

January 1, 2005
Literature

Joyce “For Dummies”

If you are looking for a quickie introduction to Joyce’s Ulysses (and, gosh, who isn’t?), you might check out this site . Don’t neglect to examine the home page, and the exchange of letters regarding the web site’s disclaimer.

January 1, 2005
History

CA Bayly on Global History

In a brief article in the Feb 2004 issue of History Today , C. A. Bayly describes the current state of global history. He points out that even postmodern historians who stridently oppose history as told by the colonial victors, are beginning to write a new form of global history…

January 1, 2005

Wedding Homily, December 30

In the past week, we have celebrated Christmas, commemorating the human birth of the Only-begotten Son of the Father. At this feast, we were reminded of central mysteries of Christian faith: The Son who is eternally in the bosom of the Father is born from the bosom of a virgin;…

December 30, 2004

Church’s Kingly Ministry

The Blackwell Companion to Ethics (edited by Stanley Hauerwas and Samuel Wells) looks to be a stimulating collection of essays. The contributors examine ethics through the lens of liturgy, on the assumption that what God seeks are worshipers, companions who will walk and eat with him. Thus, for instance, abortion…

December 29, 2004

Church’s Kingly Ministry

The Blackwell Companion to Ethics (edited by Stanley Hauerwas and Samuel Wells) looks to be a stimulating collection of essays. The contributors examine ethics through the lens of liturgy, on the assumption that what God seeks are worshipers, companions who will walk and eat with him. Thus, for instance, abortion…

December 29, 2004

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