The problem with using the Old Testament stories as morality tales is that even the best of the patriarchs, judges, and kings had serious character flaws. The most obvious example is King David, who, despite his outstanding faith amongst the kings, nevertheless committed rape and murder. If anything these stories show us the pervasiveness of … Continue reading Bible heroes weren’t all moral models
Judging others and judging God
There are two kinds of judgmentalism. The first involves judging others as if I'm perfect when I am not. The second involves judging God’s standards as if they’re unimportant when they are. Both are based on arrogance.
How to detect racist theology
I am starting to wonder if the reason so many white Christians are in denial about the rising tide of racism in conservative Christianity is because they’re expecting that, if racism ever comes their way, it’s going to take the form of active justification for racism, and they don’t see much of that going on. … Continue reading How to detect racist theology
Do not be ashamed to enter the Church
John Chrystotom once said, “Do not be ashamed to enter again into the Church. Be ashamed when you sin. Do not be ashamed when you repent. Pay attention to what the devil did to you. These are two things: sin and repentance. Sin is a wound; repentance is a medicine. Just as there are for … Continue reading Do not be ashamed to enter the Church
Haunted by the sound of Jackboots
Persecution. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Biblical tales of corruption
One of the problems with reading the bible in a flat manner is that huge chunks of it seems to be there for the sole purpose of establishing the perverseness and pervasiveness of corruption and injustice, commonly referred to in Christian circles as sin, and consequently of the need for salvation. Consider the narrative sections … Continue reading Biblical tales of corruption
Suffering is not always a consequence of personal sin
Suffering is a consequence of sin, but it is not always a consequence of personal sin. If this were not so it would be impossible to reconcile the sinlessness of Jesus with the suffering of Jesus. He suffered for his righteousness, not for any sin on his part. So too with Job. Indeed the entire … Continue reading Suffering is not always a consequence of personal sin
Genesis from a Jungian perspective
I find it interesting to explore the Genesis story of Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden from a Jungian perspective. I know Gnostics will have a different take on this, and indeed prefer alternative versions of the story, but here I present an orthodox Christian interpretation. The two trees in the garden of … Continue reading Genesis from a Jungian perspective
Speaking of Sin
I know a lot of left wing Christians prefer the language of injustice over the language of sin but I’m of the view that in conversations with right wing Christians we need to be framing injustices as sin a whole lot more. It’s the language they understand. We need to state boldly that sacrificing the … Continue reading Speaking of Sin
Racism Is Sin
If you want to know what the Bible has to say about racism and other forms of discrimination, just search for words like “favouritism” and “partiality” and you’ll find more than enough. Consider for instance Deuteronomy 10:17-18 which says, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, … Continue reading Racism Is Sin
Missing the mark on sin
Sin is a much misunderstood concept. Often because we Christians explain it badly. We talk about sin as if it's simply the pursuit of bad things. But it's not. It's more often the pursuit of good things as if they're ultimate things, and in the process missing out on what is truly best in life. It's about falling short of … Continue reading Missing the mark on sin
Knowledge Is Not Sin
A common accusation made by critics against orthodox Christians is that Christians equate knowledge with sin. For example, in The Gnostic Bible, the editor Marvin Meyer writes of "the fundamental biblical notion that knowledge is sin." But is this notion as biblical as Gnostics assert? No, if fact such proclamations represent a fundamental misunderstanding of the … Continue reading Knowledge Is Not Sin
