Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
In the beginning, this was home. The world, I mean. Creation wasn’t just a series of unconnected events, a flashy display of building prowess. Yes, creation was intended to give God glory—which I guess you could say means that the creation was supposed to show the greatness—the weight —of God.…
We think we know. God is a stern Rule-Maker who has a bit of an anger management problem. Or, God is the indulgent Daddy in the sky. Or, God used to be a stern Ruler, but he got nice. Christians don't believe any of that. Christians say the one God…
Unfortunately today, baptism seems so… tiny . It’s actually… cute (maybe sweet?) when it’s given to a child. A little baby, a small gathering of people, a little bowl of water, tiny drops sprinkled upon the little baby’s head followed by a small applause and a short prayer. How… small!…
Early on in the history of the church, Christians understood that the 1st century Jewish practice of meeting for prayer at set times of the day was a good and biblical practice to continue. We find references to this in several places in Scripture. In Acts 3 we find Peter…
Editors’ note: For those interested in a review of Richard Hays’s latest book, see here . Richard Hays is a renowned New Testament scholar. The professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School originally studied English literature, giving his reading of Scripture a pronounced literary sensibility. He’s perhaps best known…
As many commentators point out, Genesis is structured by 10 uses of the word toledoth , "generations." The word means something along the lines of "begotten things," and the toledoth statements head the various sections of Genesis. When Genesis 2:4 announces "these are the begettings of heaven and earth" and…
Showing page 106 of 309
Showing page 38 of 43
N.T. Wright has spoiled me. He has given such vivid portrayals of Jesus that I had difficulty getting into and appreciating Gibson’s The Passion . The film seemed so context-free that it’s hard for me to see how anyone could make much sense of it without already knowing who’s who…
This Sunday is the first Sunday in the traditional church season of Lent, the 40-day period of preparation for Easter. Though Lent is not mandated by Scripture, it is edifying for the church for a couple of reasons. First, Lent cannot be separated from Easter. It is a journey toward…
In Luke’s account of the transfiguration, Jesus discusses with Moses and Elijah the “exodus” that he is going to accomplish in Jerusalem (9:31). That surely refers to His sufferings, death, and resurrection, which have just recently been a subject of discussion with Jesus and the apostles (9:18-27, esp. v 22).…
Days of Vengeance, Luke 20:45-21:38 INTRODUCTION It is always important to remember that Luke wrote two books about Jesus and the early church, and that the two books work together. In the first book, the gospel of Luke, Jesus the Beloved Son comes to the vineyard and is killed by…
Welcome to my new location. I trust everyone who reads this will think it an improvement over Blogger. Also, I want to offer a hearty, public thanks to Emeth Smith of Tokyo, who designed and set up this site for me. I know nothing about this kind of thing; I…
A trio of authors argue in the January 2004 issue of American Philosophical Quarterly that conscious desires are impossible. They begin with a distinction between beliefs and desires, showing that the difference has to do with the “direction of fit” with the external world. Beliefs (and perceptions) arise from the…
Showing page 2117 of 2212
Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.
