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Redemption in Ruth
Read more: Redemption in RuthI’ll be concluding my series on Ruth with reflections on chapter 4 today (See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3). I have had such a great time studying Ruth, not only with other women, but especially hearing men’s perspectives. I know that often times when people hear about Ruth, they automatically assume it is…
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The Power of Presence in the Midst of Suffering in Ruth
Read more: The Power of Presence in the Midst of Suffering in RuthI’m currently studying the book of Ruth with a small group at my church. I have to honestly admit that after finishing my seminary degree last year, that I hadn’t really studied the Bible in-depth until we started studying this book together. Studying the Bible in community really does bring a freshness to the text,…
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UNBIBLICAL!?
Read more: UNBIBLICAL!?Those of you who clicked this post after seeing the picture might think it’s a blog about the NFL’s quarterback protection policies, and my take on a biblical perspective on the matter. Well, not really. If you are curious about my opinion, I’ll summarize it with this: I can see the concern to protect players…
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Moving Redemption ahead of the Equation
Read more: Moving Redemption ahead of the Equation= Equality = If your facebook newsfeed was anything like mine, pink and red was the dominant color scheme of the beginning of the week. As if Valentine’s Day was having a month late resurgence, signs for equality have flooded the social media and blogospheres in the supreme courts pending ruling on the constitutionality of…
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“Les Miserey” of the Unrequited
Read more: “Les Miserey” of the UnrequitedIf you haven’t seen the new Les Miserables motion picture, finish reading this post first, then grab your tickets on fandango. The music, and the story, is stunningly beautiful. It is emotionally vigorous. It is theologically rich. And it is soul-transforming. Ok, maybe these promises are a little high, but for one who was wondering…
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The Gospel and Les Mis, Part 2 (Guest Post)
Read more: The Gospel and Les Mis, Part 2 (Guest Post)Most of the readers of this blog will be familiar with the Law/Gospel distinction that is present in the New Testament. While this distinction grew out of a particular set of controversies involving a particular law code and its relevance to a particular cultural situation (something that we Protestants often forget to our own exegetical detriment),…
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The Gospel and Les Mis, Part 1 (Guest Post)
Read more: The Gospel and Les Mis, Part 1 (Guest Post)It should go without saying that art is a powerful thing. When it is done well it can easily change the way we see the world, subverting our perspective in a way where other forms of communication would struggle or fail. We are surrounded by well executed art, yet it is an exhilarating rarity to…
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Scared Straight… Now What?
Read more: Scared Straight… Now What?Last week I watched a few episodes of “Beyond Scared Straight,” the reality show that follows a group of rebellious teens to prison, where they get a taste of life behind bars. Aside from being thoroughly entertained, I learned a lot about false hopes and society’s view of redemption. The show introduces us to fresh-faced…
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Sweeney Todd & Total Depravity
Read more: Sweeney Todd & Total DepravityWhen I originally saw Sweeney Todd at the theatres in December 2007 my first thought was, “I need to preach a sermon on this.” So in this season leading up to Halloween I thought I’d relive some of those original thoughts and share them with you. Also, if you are looking for a good movie…
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Joining in the Dance of the Merrymakers: A Meditation on Jeremiah 31
Read more: Joining in the Dance of the Merrymakers: A Meditation on Jeremiah 31Over the past month or so, I have been making my way through the book of Jeremiah. Sometimes I read through a number of chapters and at other times, something sticks with me from the text and I can’t get past a few verses. This happened about a week and a half ago as I…