Faith as a loyal response to God’s gift.

A tabula patronatus from Bocchorus (6 CE). Unfortunately, too often Christians think we have our own special, insider language, and we forget that the first century believers were simply using ordinary terms to describe their new faith. For example, the wider, cultural lens of patronage and honor offers an important insight into the key New Testament terms of “grace” … Continue reading Faith as a loyal response to God’s gift.

A Centurion’s Confession: Which Centurion Are We?

Reading the Bible can tricky. We may think passages are “straightforward,” but sometimes we end up filling in blanks that we don’t even realize. (The following is not meant as an argument supporting any of the below views; the purpose is an exercise in considering how our presuppositions impact our consideration of different opinions). When … Continue reading A Centurion’s Confession: Which Centurion Are We?

Don’t “Other” Others: Paul’s Gospel of Inclusion

A thought on race and the New Testament, and how this inadvertently contributes to systems of injustice while also challenging them. (If we really want to tackle racism, then we need to reflect upon these things. The hard part of this kind of reflection is that it begins with ourselves and our traditions rather than … Continue reading Don’t “Other” Others: Paul’s Gospel of Inclusion