Thursday, July 18, 2019
Monday, July 15, 2019
Reflection for the Week - July 15
Literary genres in the biblical text are not merely formal structures or conventions, but function as theological directives concerning the complexity of the character of God. Genre diversity, in the biblical drama, opens horizons and dimensions of God that no single genre can contain, yet even this is intriguingly incomplete. Narrative, wisdom, poetry, hymn, prophecy, and apocalyptic, for example, valiantly attempt to portray in words that which is ultimately beyond capturing: God.
Monday, July 8, 2019
Reflection for the Week - July 8
I’m
not concerned to defend the biblical text, but first to better understand by
what authority it makes its claims, or as it were, tells its story. That is, when
engaging the text, its authority should be articulated and clarified, rather
than merely assumed. Several things need to be taken into account, including the
ANE - Jewish and Greco-Roman setting, the natural world informer, the
theological environment, and the literary context. My hope is to assess what authority
is plausible and where and how it is to be identified. No doubt evaluations
will change over time, so this is probably a lifelong task, but nonetheless one
that is worthwhile undertaking.
Monday, July 1, 2019
Reflection for the Week - July 1
Life
and the Christian life don't seem to be about resolution, but tension.
Questions about God’s goodness, nature, and living as a Christian in a terribly
messy world, for example, are unresolved and thus continue to be an existential
part of it all. Doubt is ever present, but it doesn't reign. I never start at
zero, because I live on the basis of accumulated information and experience,
yet the theological, philosophical, and scientific mysteries remain open to
further investigation in the sphere of what is known and still unknown.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Living Spiritual Rhythms - June 12
Trust is often assumed to be a virtue, but without
suspicion it could indeed be a detriment. Thus, when you’re considering
virtues, don’t leave out suspicion.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Reflection for the Week - June 10
The
fierce debate about the similarities and differences of the God of the OT and
of the NT is well known. My modest attempt at a configuration of this would go
along these lines. God in both testaments is portrayed in a contextual manner; different
contexts bring forth different pictures, which all represent something of who
God is. Despite the cacophony there is a thread of transcendence that claims
that God is also beyond context. That is, the God of first and second
testaments is contextual, though not finally subject to it. There is a tension
here that cannot be resolved, nor should it be.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Thursday Thoughts - June 6
Biblical narrative and nature are an astounding drama engaging God and humanity. This drama goes far beyond a dispassionate recounting or a merely experiential narrating. There’s just too much to tell and both objectivity and subjectivity fall short. Yet, in the unfolding theater of life and death, filled with a repertoire of mystery and complexity, there are particular viable resonances that connect to a realistic hope for transformation in the niche of a possible world.
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