In Luke 2:41-52, Joseph and Mary lose Jesus. They find him three days later in the temple area. They obviously didn’t have a rendezvous point they could go to in case they were separated. The young Jesus assumes that the temple would be the obvious place to rendezvous. Where else would he be? Nevermind that. […]
Archives for September 2005
Exclusion and Embrace
Lohfink reminded me of Miroslav Volf’s Exclusion and Embrace. I’ve posted these quotes before, but I think they’re pertinent to the discussion, so please pardon the repetition. My thesis that the practice of nonviolence requires a belief in divine vengeance will be unpopular with many Christians, especially theologians in the West. To the person inclined […]
September 20, 2005 by 4 Comments
Lohfink on Jesus and His Disciples
More from Lohfink, this time on Jesus’ teaching on renunciation of violence: The radical ethic of renouncing violence is thus addressed neither to isolated individuals nor to the entire world, but precisely to the people of God which has been marked by the preaching of God’s reign. The thesis that renunciation of violence is possible […]
September 15, 2005 by 6 Comments
Rob Bell on Missions
Here’s a great definition of missions from Rob Bell in Velvet Elvis. Missions is less about the transportation of God from one place to another and more about the identification of a God who is already there. It is almost as if being a good missionary means having really good eyesight. Or maybe it means […]
September 14, 2005 by 8 Comments
Lohfink on Jesus and Israel
From Lohfink?s Jesus and Community: The rule of God evidently presupposes a people, a people of God, in whom it can become established and from whom it can shine forth. The texts of the New Testament must not be read through the lens of a theological individualism able to imagine the reign of God only […]
September 12, 2005 by 2 Comments
Lohfink on Jesus
I’ve seen Gerhard Lohfink’s Jesus and Community: The Social Dimension of Christian Faith show up in so many footnotes that I finally decided to check it out for myself. It’s not often that I almost read a book translated from German into English in one sitting, but I couldn’t put this one down. I promise […]
September 8, 2005 by 8 Comments
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons