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Women in the Academy with Dr. Jill Firth and Dr. Christa McKirland (Podcast)
Read more: Women in the Academy with Dr. Jill Firth and Dr. Christa McKirland (Podcast)In this all-women episode, Amber Bowen discusses the unique experiences of women in the theological academy, including the challenges that women have to navigate as well as the particular benefits that they bring to the theological task. Joining Amber for this rich conversation are two special guests to The Two Cities: Dr. Jill Firth (PhD,…
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My Case for ‘Virtual’ Communion
Read more: My Case for ‘Virtual’ CommunionAs the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 drags on, questions regarding the nature and place of the Eucharist are becoming more and more important. Christians in all traditions are now forced to grapple with the reality that it may be some months before congregations and church families can meet again in person. Churches…
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Announcing: The Two Cities Podcast!
Read more: Announcing: The Two Cities Podcast!We are so thrilled to announce that coming soon in the next few weeks we will be launching The Two Cities podcast! Be on the lookout, and be sure to subscribe and spread the word when the new pod arrives. We began this blog back in the summer of 2011. Back then blogs were very…
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Is Mormonism Another Christian Denomination?
Read more: Is Mormonism Another Christian Denomination?Over here at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN we recently had an Apologetics event where we discussed the topic of Mormonism. Specifically, we wanted to help people think through the common question of whether Mormonism is really just another Christian denomination. Here’s a video of the event with three discrete talks and a question…
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St Augustine, Nature, and Truth
Read more: St Augustine, Nature, and TruthI’m currently participating in an extracurricular reading group with students here at Bethel Seminary. We just finished reading through the first five books of St Augustine’s Confessions. It’s been a blast to read and discuss, and I thought I’d share one of my reflections so far. As I was reading the beginning of Book V, I…
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From Academic to Blue-Collar Theologian
Read more: From Academic to Blue-Collar TheologianIt’s been seven months since I have been involved in Biblical-Academic pursuit. In that time I’ve transitioned to a fairly normal blue-collar job, taken up interest in a career path in fitness (shameless plug: if you’re looking for coaching, I do Powerlifting, Bodybuilding and General Fitness!), got engaged and started planning a wedding. My primary…
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Fundamentalism and Recent Trends in Evangelicalism
Read more: Fundamentalism and Recent Trends in EvangelicalismWhat is Fundamentalism? Christian fundamentalists (think R.A. Torrey, A.C. Dixon, or recently, John Piper, Norman Geisler, Paul Washer, John MacArthur, Wayne Grudem, etc.) are part of the movement in Evangelicalism that originated in 1910s America. This phrase has been used to connote religious bigotry, abuse, and close-mindedness, but fundamentalists are merely Evangelicals with a complex (we…
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The Image of God
Read more: The Image of GodWhat is the image of God? As I thought and read about this I came through very interesting concepts that are worth sharing. Let’s start with Paul’s statement of the image of God. Colossians 1:15 states that Jesus is the image of God. Now, Jesus was not simply human, he was fully God and fully…
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Mark 1-14 is about the Eucharist: Part I of III
Read more: Mark 1-14 is about the Eucharist: Part I of IIIIn the Gospel According to St. Mark, Jesus introduces and institutes the Eucharist Feast in very few words: And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take, this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks…
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Coming From Christ
Read more: Coming From ChristI started a new job working as a high school humanities teacher for a public charter school the second week of July. As one of many new teachers coming into the charter school network, I have spent the last two weeks sitting through orientation lectures and training seminars. Between sessions on “Student Engagement” and “Discussion…