(The following is a lesson I taught for our Advent series at my church Dec. 18th) When Jesus announced the beginning of his ministry, the first prophetic reference he made was to the book of Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up … Continue reading Jubilee is an Advent prophecy!
“The poor you will always have with you…” So said Jesus according to the accounts of three of the four Gospel writers (Matt. 26:11, Mark 14:7, and John 12:8). He said it in the context of someone objecting to a woman pouring perfume on his feet, when the value could have been given to the poor. (aside…Matthew says the disciples objected and doesn’t identify the … Continue reading The Poor Will Always Be With You…Meaning What?
I have just finished Lee C. Camp’s book Who Is My Enemy? This is a book every American Christian should read–full stop. It is also a book everyone who’s frustrated with the public political stance of American Christians should read. And it’s also a book anyone wrestling with the questions of war and peace with regard to the church and/or teachings of Jesus Christ should … Continue reading Who Is My Enemy? by Lee C. Camp (book review)
And he told them a parable, saying, “The farm of a certain rich man bore well. And he talked it over with himself, saying, ‘What shall I do? I don’t have space to store my crops.’ And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will take down my storehouses and build bigger, and there I will gather all my grain and … Continue reading Bumper Crops and Bigger Barns
The other day, a Facebook friend of mine posted a big caption on his profile: “JESUS Is With the 99%.” Predictably, he got a bunch of “likes” from his liberal buddies, and just as predictably, he got some major pushback from his conservative friends. The Christian camp has divided along the usual lines, with one side loudly shouting that Jesus would join the rowdy crowd … Continue reading WJOW (Would Jesus Occupy Wall Street)?
My brother Dave’s blog is primarily about economics, mine primarily about theology. But I have got to highlight to you guys, this post in which Dave quite properly calls out some of the ways in which church institutions seem to have forgotten which deity they ought to serve (Matt. 6:19-24). Churches sometimes talk a good game about justice, and even do great works for justice. … Continue reading God or Mammon?
I’ve just finished the book Roger Williams by historian Edwin S. Gaustad. Loaned to me by a friend from church, this brief book is an overview of the life and writings of the man who founded the colony of Rhode Island in the early 17th century. I recommend it to anyone who, like me, is frustrated by the frequent drumbeat among conservative Americans, as to … Continue reading Roger Williams – A patriot for the rest of us
I just came across two articles today that anyone who really cares about poverty, justice, and the gospel must read: http://www.humanitarianchronicle.com/2009/07/nairobi-my-introduction/http://www.humanitarianchronicle.com/2009/07/kibera-and-the-reality-of-the-gospel/ I love Nairobi. I used to go there a lot when I worked in Tanzania in the mid-80s. It seemed a somewhat safer place then, though even back then I suspected it was a bit of an illusion–there was such a disparity between wealth … Continue reading Lessons in the gospel from Nairobi
I have never embedded media in my blog before but this first time is worth it: My gratitude to my brother Dave for working with artists Peter Buffet and Akon to inspire this work, and for sharing it with me. Be sure to check out the artists’ collaborative website Is there Something I Can Do? The issue of human slavery is one that gets far … Continue reading The blood of another. . .
