By: Jennifer Eckert on September 8, 2024
The term “slavery” conjures powerful emotions and carries significant historical and ethical weight. Its impact on individuals and societies has been deep and far-reaching. In this post, we’ll delve into John Wesley’s 1774 essay, Thoughts Upon Slavery. Wesley, an Anglican clergyman and co-founder of the Methodist movement, was a staunch advocate for social reform. He…
By: Jana Dluehosh on September 5, 2024
A Christian for President! Vote! This is the signpost many of my neighbors and family may want to put up or the flag they want to fly during this season of presidential elections. It leaves me with the question, can you be a Christian President in the United States of America? I grew up in…
By: Julie O'Hara on September 5, 2024
Last January I listened in a small group while the founding pastor of a US megachurch shared the heartbreak he experienced following his failed attempt to soothe the 2020 election vitriol within his congregation. During that season between the pandemic and the election, he was urged by members of both the right and the left…
By: Daren Jaime on September 5, 2024
You can feel the frenzy becoming elevated as America braces for yet another Presidential election. Partisan politics have staunchly drawn their lines in the sand, commercials are on repeat, phone and text blasts at nauseum as America will soon select its new leader. Many of the issues remain the same, the economy, abortion, a women’s…
By: Chad Warren on September 5, 2024
My friend got to the cast list before me and blurted out, “You got the part!” I got the lead role in the upcoming school theatre production. I got the part I auditioned for but now I was overwhelmed with what that entailed. Much of the success of the show would be tied to my…
By: Kari on September 5, 2024
It was a crisp autumn day. The wind was blowing through the trees arching over the street. Premature foliage was scattered across the sidewalks. My sister and I marched up to the next address on our list. A pleasant older lady opened the door and smiled at us. I introduced us as we campaigned for…
By: Ryan Thorson on September 5, 2024
When I reflect on the writers and theologians that have had the most influence in my life, NT Wright quickly comes to the top of the list. His book, “Surprised by Hope”[1] has changed the way I see and work for God’s Kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. Needless to say, I…
By: Diane Tuttle on September 5, 2024
Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.[1] I don’t know that God’s kingdom on earth will ever be as it is in heaven. We are not God and humans are sinful. But Jesus taught His follows this…
By: Elysse Burns on September 5, 2024
Political theology [1] is a term that might make some Christians bristle or shrink in fear, but N.T. Wright and Michael Bird encourage Christians in Jesus and the Powers to confidently “recover our kingdom vocation” [2] concerning our engagement with the powers. The authors urge Christians to carefully consider political theology as we seek to…
By: Joel Zantingh on September 5, 2024
In their work, Jesus and the Powers, N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird offer us a call for public theology, how to belong to the kingdom of God that is not from this world, but is done within and for the sake of the world [1]. While not seeking to gather signatures for a particular…
By: Debbie Owen on September 4, 2024
Rex is in charge of all the animals on Farmer Hoggett’s farm. He knows the rules of the farm and makes sure all the animals follow those rules. That’s the best way for everything to go smoothly and to keep the Boss (Hoggett) happy. Rex is a sheepdog. When he is not lording it over…
By: Russell Chun on September 4, 2024
Week 2 – Поляризація імміграції, Poliaryzatsiia immihratsii, Polarization of Immigration Introduction – what the author says What others are saying: Thumbs down and Thumbs up Bland ending? Concluding points. Epilogue: Polarization of Immigration Introduction Political theology is not a term I have used very much in my academic journey. I feel that I have…
By: Pam Lau on September 4, 2024
Marilynne Robinson’s newest book, Reading Genesis, is a rich exploration of the book of Genesis. She considers the academic interpretations and the literary interpretations from previous scholars through a unique lens. Her approach to Genesis weaves themes that resonate through the whole of Scripture–within her achingly beautiful writing, Robinson powerfully considers the profound meanings and promise of…
By: Graham English on September 4, 2024
In 1987 R.E.M. sang a punchy and danceable apocalyptic song warning of the world’s end. “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine,” they sang in the oft-repeated chorus interspersed with lyrics that are a stream of consciousness containing apparent evidence of the apocalypse. The sentiment in the…
By: Shela Sullivan on September 3, 2024
The book, “Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness In An Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies” by N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird explores the concept of “powers” as understood in the New Testament and its significance to the life and mission of Jesus.[1] Wright and Bird provide a comprehensive exploration of the…
By: Jennifer Eckert on September 3, 2024
Contemporary Western politics can be compared to a carnival funhouse, where the dynamics and experiences of political engagement resemble the disorienting and deceptive nature of such an attraction. Participants encounter a series of phenomena that create a sense of instability and confusion. While this type of attraction is entertaining in a festival setting, the metaphorical…
By: Scott Dickie on September 3, 2024
I’m a fan of N.T. Wright (or at least as much of a fan as a Gen-Xer can be), and I was fine that he brought along his buddy, Michael Bird, to explore what Christian engagement in the political realm should look like. Jesus and the Powers (1) is a rather short book for such…
By: Adam Cheney on September 3, 2024
The gospels portray the life of Jesus, demonstrating to society the kingdom of heaven was upon them. He was ushering in a new way of thinking about religious and political structures. The full power of the kingdom was displayed “on an ancient hill called Golgotha, just outside the old city of Jerusalem, where once stood…
By: Glyn Barrett on September 3, 2024
King Charles III’s coronation took place on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London. The ceremony was rich in tradition and deeply rooted in the bible. Central to the service was the anointing with holy oil, symbolising divine approval and consecration, echoing the anointing of kings in the Bible, such as King Solomon. The…
By: Mathieu Yuill on September 2, 2024
When I look back on what I knew about Israel before October 7th, it’s clear that my understanding was shaped by a blend of personal experiences and brief educational exposures. Growing up, the stories of Israel and the Jewish people often came from the Bible, with tales that placed them in a state of oppression…
