Daily chapel wasn’t mandatory when I went to St. Olaf, as it had been in days of yore; but nearly everybody went anyway. It was to be one of many surprises for me. Another: the organ bit at the end — not for walking out. You stayed put, in your pew. Or more accurately, it …
There is a long-standing tradition that no person, no mere mortal, should presume to possess the name of God. The Name, as the reasoning goes, is a holy thing, a handle on the divine not to be trifled with. We hear concern about its misuse in the ancient biblical commandment, “Thou shalt not take the …
The following meditation on our relationships with animals, the strange expression “to be at the mercy of,” and what the notion of “dominion” may mean when it comes to the animals who live with us just appeared also on HuffingtonPost. I wrote it on the occasion of my old pound hound’s death. Sweet Trout is …
One thinks of prayers as nice things and of the Bible goodness, wisdom, and light. What an ugly wake-up, then, to find supposedly decent people praying for the President’s death. And they’re using the Bible to do so, no less. This, against a president who shares with his detractors Christian faith and belief in the …
Today, Jews (really really observant Jews) fast during the daylight hours to recall a devastating event of over 2500 years ago. This, the 10th day of the month of Tevet, is remembered as the anniversary of the Babylonian king’s assault of Jerusalem. Tradition maintains that it was on this day in 587 B.C. that Nebuchadnezzar …
Anniversary of Crisis and Change — the 10th of Tevet Read More »
Some things one might expect to find in the Bible aren’t there at all; while sometimes what we do find is downright surprising. Take Hanukkah, for instance — not there! Ironically, not in the Jewish bible, but it is in the Orthodox Christian bible (in part — 1 Maccabees, if you’re looking). Meanwhile, the Christian …
The new Jewish Annotated New Testament is a welcome addition to the variety (cacophany?) of voices weighing in on Christian scripture these days. It is fresh, intelligent, and informed, actually a lot better informed than most of what’s out there. Published by Oxford University Press, it includes comments and insights from Jewish scholars, some of …
Wow, just when I thought: enough with KJV’s bday, “66 Books” comes along. A dramatic project launching the new Bush theater in London, it’s 66 short plays based on the books of the King James Bible. How I wish I could be there! Jeanette Winterson on Genesis. Full creative license. Imagine the possibilities. What a …
What if Jesus has already come back or is even coming back all the time? That the first generation of Jesus’ followers expected the Parousia or “second coming” during their own lifetimes is certain. They were sure, based on Jesus’ teachings and their own, first-hand knowledge of him that it would happen. At least that’s how the …
Ai yai yai. A new series looking to biblical women for role models. Between that and Michele Bachmann’s latest: presidential hopeful who is submissively obedient to husband in all things, well,… Scott Bailey’s blog post can get you started: http://scotteriology.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/epic-fail-real-housewives-of-the-bible/
