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In reality, Pilate was cruel, but John portrays him as weak, bullied by the Jewish authorities into condemning Jesus. What pressures us to turn our backs on Jesus? Note: For Lent, I’m trying something new with this blog. Let me … Continue reading
A community built on love is a community in shalom (God’s peace). How do we reach for that? By working for justice. God’s will, God’s kingdom, can be glimpsed in true justice. God’s Kingdom Come Series Each summer, I take … Continue reading
Shalom is more than peace as we understand it. It is a communal wholeness, reality as God intends creation to be. It is a description of God’s kingdom. God’s Kingdom Come Series Each summer, I take time away from commenting … Continue reading
The Hebrew word hesed represents a critical concept in understanding the kingdom of God. It is difficult to translate, but it is basically active love within the context of a covenantal community. Summer Series As you might know, I write … Continue reading
As he said in Nazareth, Jesus came for people who are marginalized and disempowered. In our own thinking, speaking, and teaching, we must emphasize people’s dignity over their disabilities. In this Epiphany season, Jesus has been revealed as God’s beloved … Continue reading
When most teachers use stories, it’s to help others understand what they are trying to explain. But Jesus states that he uses parables so that people won’t understand. Why? We are now in the season of Epiphany, a time when … Continue reading
Jesus does something strange when a paralyzed man is presented to him: he forgives the man’s sins and only heals him to demonstrate his authority to speak on God’s behalf. Welcome to Epiphany! This reading in the Narrative Lectionary marks … Continue reading
At the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus proclaims the good news of the kingdom of God, good news that the evangelist connects to Jesus himself, Messiah and Son of God. On the Seventh Day of Christmas… December 31st … Continue reading
Jesus tells the Parable of the Wedding Feast to teach about the kingdom of heaven. The message: God welcomes everyone. But what about the violent details of the parable? With this reading from Matthew 22, we have made it halfway … Continue reading
Responding to a question about the limits of forgiveness, Jesus tells an over-the-top parable about a king, slaves, and a boatload of money. Lent: The Ways of the Kingdom Welcome to Lent. This first Sunday of Lent in the Narrative … Continue reading