Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Optimism is “an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.” 1 On the other hand, pessimism is “an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome.” We can see that optimism and…
If we wish to understand the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we must begin with seeing them as a part of the creational order. Trees, along with plants and seed-bearing things, come to life by the word of God as part of…
“I chant slips and irreversible disasters, wiltings, failures, scars, the little disappointments and the large, blue streaks down a world that wishes it was only suncolors.” Paul J. Pastor from Kintsugi Song I recently lost something very valuable. Something I’d had for years and used every day. But, it wasn’t…
In his eponymous book, Jonah follows an exodus pattern. He travels through the waves and east of the city into the wilderness. On a first reading, it looks like another use of this common literary shape in the Old Testament: salvation through the waters of death and the wilderness of…
“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” The unknowing master of ceremonies didn’t know how right he was. We see this play out in John’s apocalypse. The end is like the beginning,…
Read in isolation, The Test of Adultery (Num 5:11-31) presents the reader with a seemingly bizarre ritual, conjuring up ideas bordering on the Salem Witch Trials. Beyond this, pressing questions linger—such as, “Why is the woman in particular singled out, while no test is provided for the husband of a…
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In their study of race and evangelicalsm ( Divided by Faith ), Michael Emerson and Christian Smith observe that “in the context of a pluralistic society, social groups construct and maintain collective identities by forming symbolic boundaries.” These boundaries are essential to the group. Every group defines itself, to some…
From Wesley's Journal, December 1, 1767: “Being alone in the coach, I was considering several points of importance: and thus much appeared as clear as the day: That a man may be saved who cannot express himself properly concerning imputed righteousness. Therefore to do this is not necessary to salvation.…
When the Lamb opens the fifth seal, John sees martyrs under the altar crying out for vindication (Revelation 6). It's a recapitulation of the plea of the oppressed in Psalm 79: “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?' Let there be known among the nations in our sight,…
Daniel 3 tells the famous story of the three men in the fiery furnace. It's an image of Israel's experience in exile. They are sent into the furnace of Babylon, but they survive the fire - more than survive, they come out unsinged and are elevated to higher positions than…
The disappointment of Go Set A Watchman isn't the disappointment in the character of Atticus Finch. By the end of the book, Jean Louise has recognized that she's as much a “states rightist,” just as offended and outraged by the Supreme Court's meddling in the South, just as much a…
Over at Slate , Reiham Salam explains why Trump isn't going away: He's not merely the focal point for GOP anger. He represents the American version of a global phenomenon, the rise of populist-nationalist movements. Salam compares Trump's appeal to that of the Danish People's Party, which has become “Denmark’s…
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