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What Is Biblical Literacy?
We complain about it, write about it, claim it’s important or even critical, design programs to create it, but what is it? I don’t mean that none of us know what we mean when we say “biblically literate” or “biblically illiterate,” but do we all mean the same thing? I don’t think we do, and…
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Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
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Experiencing the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit
This is a topic where I tend to make just about everyone uncomfortable. Long time readers may recall a previous discussion of speaking in tongues, and my own experience of it. Those who expect me to be intellectually oriented and rational are uncomfortable with mystical experiences, and many who are comfortable with the mystical experiences…
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Remembering Becky Lynn Black
As I’m sitting here on the porch at Dave Black’s place ther is one disappointment. I didnt come here earlier so that I could have met Becky Lynn. I feel like I know her from correspondence and from her book. She had an enormous impact on so many lives over the years. Might I commend…
Pericope Adulterae Conference
I have already been asked for my reaction a couple of times, and this conference was a great experience, so I definitely think it is worthwhile to reflect on it here a bit. For pictures, see posts by Dave Black and Thomas Hudgins. First why did I attend the conference? This was recreation for me….
At Bethel Hill Baptist Church
I enjoyed sharing my testimony and Psalm 78:1-7, which is the theme text for my monistry, at Bethel Hill Baptist Church today. I want to thank Brother Jason Evans for allowing me some time in the service there. I was reminded of the importance of the body of Christ and the fellowship that we experience…
The 5-Minute-a-Day Bible Reading Plan vs. My Dad’s Bible
Some time ago I was invited to answer questions from a group of wonderful young people. They were invited to ask me any question they wanted. On about the third question, as they were discussing the background between them, I had my finger in a place in my Bible where I was going to start…
On Ecclesiastes and Disagreeing with Authors
No, not the authors of the biblical text, though that’s an interesting topic. I’m talking about disagreeing with a study guide author, in this case a study guide author I chose both to publish and then to use in my Sunday School class. One class member was surprised—not shocked, annoyed, or disturbed, but just surprised—that…
The Authority of the Longer Ending of Mark
Here’s an interesting post on the longer ending of Mark and snake handling. (HT: Dave Black Online, Why Four Gospels?) There’s obviously a serious question about hermeneutics lurking in the discussion, but what I would like to see discussed is just what text of Mark is authoritative. We tend to assume that what we want…
Trajectories, Hermeneutics, Sexual Ethics, and Ecclesiology
Reading Chris Seitz on the Biblical Crisis in the Homosexuality Debates (by Alastair Roberts) reminded me of three things I already believed: It is very dangerous to try to develop hermeneutics while wrapped up in a debate on a particular topic. The best test of one’s hermeneutics is to change the subject. Does it still…
Link: Roger Olson – The Most Pernicious Heresy in American Christianity
This is very much worth reading.
Ecclesiastes Lesson 1
I thought I’d write just a few reflections on our class today. In general the class was less interested in authorship than either I or the author of the study guide were. We had folks using the Wesley study Bible and the CEB Study Bible, both of which brush past the authorship issue. While I…
Ecclesiastes and Inspiration
How does the book of Ecclesiastes impact your view of inspiration? I’ll be asking folks to think about this in my Sunday School class at First UMC of Pensacola as we study Ecclesiastes. What do you think?
Starting Ecclesiastes in Sunday School
While I was off teaching Revelation elsewhere, my Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church of Pensacola studied from Harvey Brown’s new book Forgiveness: Finding Freedom from Your Past. Harvey’s book is just 40 pages (it’s in our Topical Line Drives series, and that’s the limit), and we discovered just how many questions can…
The Biggest Divide in Christianity
… according to me, of course! I’m sitting here doing page layout on My Life Story by Becky Lynn Black. As I was doing that, I read small portions. I don’t read much while I’m doing page layout. What the text says is less important than how it will look, so my brain is in…
Reflections on Teaching Revelation
This past Sunday I completed teaching a four week series on Revelation for one of the Sunday School classes at Chumuckla Community Church. It’s always interesting to try to teach a short series on the book of Revelation. There is so much there, and so much background information is needed. It’s difficult to be effective….
The Scandal of Unprepared Pastors
In an article titled Why Do So Many Pastors Leave the Church? The Answer Will Shock You, one paragraph stood out to me: 90% feel they are inadequately trained to cope with the ministry demands and 90% of pastors said the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they…
On Prettying-Up the Bible (In Reply to @drbobcwcc and @RevKindle)
Does the Bible need some improvements, if not in content, at least in presentation? That’s one way to put the question addressed by Rev. Steve Kindle in a guest post on Dr. Bob Cornwall’s blog. I want to make some fairly picky comments on this post. As I do so, I want you to be…
Ice and Snow in Florida
I’ve experienced much worse (or better, if you like snow!) elsewhere, but this is a first in terms of winter storms here in Florida. I’m working inside until at least this afternoon when people should be done sliding around. It’s nice to have most of my work right in the house and the rest in…
Link: What Makes Someone a Bible Scholar
Rev. Jeremiah Gibbs provides an interesting answer. I tend to be more restrictive in my use of the term “scholar.” I use it to describe those who do research and writing that is read and used by other scholars. On that basis, I regard myself not as a scholar, though I would attempt to do…
#BibleGateway Blog on the Historical Adam
They publish some videos and summaries of views from the authors of the book Four Views on the Historical Adam (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology). The videos and summaries are interesting, as I suspect the book would be, though I haven’t read it. I suggest checking the videos. There is more variety in the views on…
Sleet!
Just stepped outside to encounter actual sleet. Yay Pensacola! You’ll probably need to click on the picture and see it full size. That’s how far one must go to see these things here in the sunny southland. This Canadian born lad was very excited to see such a thing way down here!
A Rant about Study Bibles
I dislike study Bibles. I almost said I hate them, but since I do tolerate some of them, that would be overstating the case. My problem with them is that they tend to blur the distinction between the text that we’re studying and the commentary made about it. I have managed to keep my annoyance…
Another What is a Liberal Christian
David F. Watson of United Theological Seminary (Dayton, OH), has written a post title What is a Liberal Christian? (HT: Methoblog). I’m not going to dissect his post, because much of what I would have said, he summarized already here: Part of the reason for the difficulty is that “liberal” has at least two meanings…
Better Have Something to Share
The following quote struck me in Bruce Epperly’s Adventurous Lectionary for the week: When we say, at our congregations, “come and see” to seekers, we better have something to share that will change lives, our own and others. Jesus’ words call us to examine our ministries. People are looking for meaning; they are looking for…
Quote: Theology Moving from the Classroom
This is another quote from my editing work: James is a theologian, but his theology moves from the classroom and the study to the street corner and the soup kitchen. James is a “practical theologian,” whose beliefs motivate his actions and whose actions transform his beliefs. Theological reflection and worship find their fulfillment in faithful…
From My Editing Work
Christianity involves following the path of Jesus in its embrace of the least of these, discovering God’s presence everywhere. — Bruce Epperly, Holistic Spirituality: Life Transforming Wisdom from the Letter of James (forthcoming)