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: 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: 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: Jeff Styer on September 2, 2024
N. T. Wright and Michael Bird’s Jesus and the Powers book is so timely for our cohort.[1] We are preparing to visit Washington DC, the United States’ seat of power, in the middle of a highly contested political campaign season. There are many topics in this book that are worth discussing but I want to…
By: Christy Liner on September 2, 2024
My mother immigrated from Japan to the United States when she was 18 years old. She knew very little English but enrolled in a university and managed to graduate with a degree in mathematics. She met my father, married, and later became a United States citizen. Two of my four closest colleagues immigrated to the…
By: Julie O'Hara on August 29, 2024
What I knew about Israel before 7th October, and what it was based upon. Before October 7th, 2023, I knew shockingly little compared to what I thought I knew. A few months ago, my sister asked me about the situation in Israel. She wanted to know why there had been conflict in the region for…
By: Daren Jaime on August 29, 2024
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been a source of contention and debate since I remember. Israel was introduced onto my radar in my youth as the epicenter of Jewish history and culture. We were indoctrinated into looking upon Israel as the chosen people of God, and I vividly recall teachers and those within my community…
By: Shela Sullivan on August 29, 2024
Introduction The book, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict provides an in-depth analysis of one of the most enduring and intricate conflicts in modern history. Martin Bunton, a historian with expertise in Middle Eastern studies, approaches the subject with balance, exploring its historical, political, and social dimensions.[1] What did you know about Israel before 7th October, and what…
By: Elysse Burns on August 29, 2024
What did I know before? Israel has been an oft-addressed topic in my family and church community for as long as I can remember. It was and remains the focus of many eschatological discussions. My father, a pastor, usually has stacks of Zion’s Fire magazines and Chosen People Ministries’ updates scattered throughout his office. In…
