The State Department reports that in Saudi Arabia “The public practice of any religion other than Islam is prohibited. There is no separation between state and religion, and the deep connection between the royal family and the religious establishment results in significant pressure on all . . . . Continue Reading »
The State Department reports that Egypt’s “respect for religious freedom remained poor,” notes that “Christians and members of the Bahai Faith, which the government does not recognize, face personal and collective discrimination, especially in government employment and the . . . . Continue Reading »
The State Department reports that “In Jordan converts from Islam may be denied their civil rights if any member of society files an apostasy complaint against them.” Up on the Hill, the Congressional research service reports: “U.S. military assistance is primarily directed toward . . . . Continue Reading »
Hebrews 12:22-23: You have come to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than the blood of Abel. God called Abraham from a city to a city. The city he left behind had walls, houses, rulers and people, markets and temples, a regular supply of . . . . Continue Reading »
Advent seems to be about the shame of God, but this is nothing new. Long before the incarnation, God risked shame. He chose elderly Abraham and his barren wife – strangers and aliens, without country, without city, without seed – as the unlikely parents of His people. Yahweh became their . . . . Continue Reading »
Hebrews 11:16 is arranged chiastically: A. Now a better they seek, that is, a heavenly B. therefore not ashamed of them (Gr. ouk epaischunetai autous ) C. God (Gr. ho theos ) C’. God (Gr. theos ) B’. to be called of them ( epikaleisthai auton ) A’. For He prepared for them a city. . . . . Continue Reading »
Over at the First Things site, David Hart launches out at the Oxfordians, ending with this suggestion: “No Oxfordian has yet convincingly responded to the ‘stylometry’ problem, for instance. If they were really on their game, however, they would argue that this merely exposes . . . . Continue Reading »
The account of Abraham in Hebrews 11 is divided into four paragraphs, each marked by “by faith” (vv. 8, 9, 11, 17). The account is organized by two overlapping structures. First, there is a parallel cycle: A. Country: Abraham called from Ur, v 8 B. City: Abraham looks for city, vv 9-10 . . . . Continue Reading »
No discussion of Yoder would be complete without yet another review of the question of pacifism. But this is no tangent from the present discussion. God calls kings to inhabit His city. He promises that they will respond. When they do, do they remain kings? Can they be disciples of Jesus while . . . . Continue Reading »
The following two posts excerpt from my response to Mark Thiessen Nation and Vigen Guroian, who critiqued my Defending Constantine at a session at the recent AAR national meeting in San Francisco. My response can be summed up with two questions, one for Vigen and one for Mark. To Vigen, my question . . . . Continue Reading »
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