By: Jenny Dooley on September 4, 2024
Given the overwhelming number of global and national issues we currently face, our reading this week is a welcome signpost guiding the way. In the introduction to Jesus and the Powers, authors N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird noted the powerful objective that undergirds their book. They write, ”… in an age of ascending autocracies,…
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: 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
Reflecting on Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies by N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird[1] feels especially relevant today, given the global challenges we face. Wright and Bird’s exploration of how Christians should navigate the political and social upheaval of our time is both sobering…
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…
By: Cathy Glei on September 2, 2024
“The very existence of a community living like that – scandalous as it appeared to many- was the sign to the watching world that something radically new had come about, a way of life that was attractive and vibrant even as, in social and political terms, it was costly and dangerous. “ [1] Drawing attention…
By: Tim Clark on September 2, 2024
If you’re an American of a certain age raised in a charismatic/pentecostal tradition, you will remember the Power Team: A half-dozen or so bulked up men who would hold assemblies at churches and schools, displaying feats of strength and attributing them to God. I think the reasoning went something like this: If these guys can…
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: John Fehlen on September 2, 2024
I never want to reduce a book to quippy tweet-like punchlines. However, Jesus and the Powers by N.T. Wright and Michal Bird is absolutely chock full of amazingly powerful teeth punches that capture so much of the significance of this important resource. Examples include the following: • “The greatest evils are not done by people who…
By: Christy 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: Kally Elliott on September 2, 2024
If you back off from every little controversy in your life you’re not alive…and what’s more, you’re boring! [The truth is] you can be more alive in pain than in complacency. It’s not enough to pray, ‘Grant us peace in our time, O Lord.’ God must be saying, ‘Oh, come off it! What are you…
By: Esther Edwards on September 2, 2024
At seven years old, Helene was faced with a dilemma. She was a daughter of Pastor Jacob, a small-town pastor who was deeply concerned regarding the changing political landscape. Hitler had gained much acclaim for helping Germany recover from World War 1 but was now showing signs of tyrannical power. Many Jews had already been…
By: Kim Sanford on September 1, 2024
Jesus and the Powers by Tom Wright and Michael F. Bird was not at all what I expected but was a delight to read. Readers journey through the history of God’s people who have nearly always lived under or at least nearby imperial rulers and then dive into the Biblical mandate to bear public witness…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on August 30, 2024
What did you know about Israel before 7th October, and what was that based upon? I had a Biblical understanding of Israel. The lessons on God Abraham and Jacob’s descendants being the chosen people in the chosen were taught throughout my life. I never quite made the modern-day connection until I was in my late…
