You find something in a biblical text that doesn't fit. What to do?

Lazy option #1: Dismiss it as an interpolation.
Lazy option #2: Dismiss it as an unexplained anomaly.
Lazy option #3: Procrustese it.

Responsible option #1: Figure it out, even if you have to revisit your…

In the Bible, land isn’t a thing but “a parent.” It’s “predisposed to nourish us, to give its bounty to human children.” It provides a home. “We get from land what any child gets from any parent: food and shelter.”

-David Fohrman

Christian Nationalism has forced Christians to grapple with basic questions about the public form of Christianity. It will be a more productive and illuminating debate if everyone also grapples with the complexities of “nation.” | Peter Leithart
firstthings.com/web-exclusives…

Spiritual gifts are Trinitarian gifts (1 Cor 12:4-6):

1. Gifts of the same Spirit.
2. Ministries of the same Lord (Jesus).
3. Energies (energēmaton) of the God who energizes (energon) all.

Episode 709: Perverted Justice and Reaping a Harvest (Deuteronomy 24:17-22)

soundcloud.com/user-812874628…

A rough chiastic outline of Acts 1-12. Impressionistic, but seems to work as far as it goes. Stephen is definitely the hinge of the narrative.

A. Jesus leaves the disciples, 1:1-14
B. Peter speaks among disciples: replace Judas, 1:15-26
C. The Spirit comes, 2:1-13
D. Peter’s…

We plant wheat, then kill it by harvesting and milling.

We bring it back to life by adding water, then kill the dough in the oven.

“Every time we make a loaf of bread, it is like we are playing God. We foster life and then snuff it out, wielding the mysterious forces of life…

Fascinating essay, look out for my response (and others!) shortly upcoming on Theopolis Institute

“Radical movements keep ratcheting up their demands, because nothing enervates a cause more than success. Crusaders resent having their purpose stolen out from under them by the fulfillment of their quest; reaching the promised land leaves seekers bereft. There’s little to do in…

A Theopolis Conversation on Horror

The Horror to End All Horrors
by: Justin Lee

theopolisinstitute.com/conversations/…

Paul lists seven (!) graces in Rom 12:6-8:

1. Prophecy
2. Service
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Leading
7. Mercy

It's a new-creation list, which numerically echoes the sevenfold Spirit of the Servant (Isa 11:2). As the Servant's body, the church carries on the…

Pro-life politicians need to stop letting their enemies set the terms of the debate and instead repeat terrible simplicities like: Every pregnant woman walks into an abortion clinic with two human lives in her body. She leaves with only one.

David Fohrman points out that the blessings of Lev 26 recapitulate those of Gen 1-2, in reverse order.

Gen 1:28-2:3

A. Be fruitful and multiply
B. Subdue the earth
C. Rule animals
D. Plants are for you
E. Fruit trees
F. Sabbath

Lev 26:1-9

F’. Keep my Sabbaths
E’. Trees will…

Robert Jenson: 'if unborn children are members of the human community, then allowing abortions to be performed on decision of the most interested party is a relapse to pure barbarism.'

Make no mistake: The GOP is positioning itself as the party of moderate barbarism.

'Power is not having to listen.'

-Karl Deutsch

Peter heals a man named Aeneas (!), then the Spirit falls on the household of a Roman centurion (Acts 9-10).

The incident foreshadows Rome's future: The paralyzed descendants of Aeneas will rise up to open the empire to welcome a church of Jews and Gentiles.

'It is not starvation, not microbes, not cancer but man himself who is mankind's greatest danger, for the simple reason that there is no adequate protection against psychic epidemics, which are infinitely more devastating than the worst of natural catastrophes.'

-Jung

The focus of Acts 10 is the change in Peter. It’s as much Peter’s conversion as Cornelius’s.

It’s not enough for Gentiles to believe the gospel. If Gentiles are going to join God's ekkesia on equal footing with Jews, Jews have to die and rise.

Like Peter, they need to host…