The Christian Century: Thoughtful, Independent, Progressive
WEBJesus seems to have an aversion to the kind of us-and-them boundary setting of his disciples. Jewish historian Ari Joskowicz tells the story of Hitler’s attempt to wipe out the Roma people. “It was not enough to publish books,” says Deep Vellum founder Will Evans. “We needed a place to invite people in, to put literature at the core of ...
Does the promise still hold? Israel and the land: An essay and ...
WEBJan 13, 2009 — The promise of the land will remain conditional until the dawn of the messianic age. Israel’s ability to retain its independence will depend on both its obedience to the commandments and the resolve and power of its military. The return of the Jews to Israel has also posed a challenge to Christians.
Who is Jesus for Muslims? | The Christian Century
WEBJun 7, 2017 — In Islam, Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, is one of the five greatest messengers of God who are collectively known as the ‘Ul al-Azm or the Possessors of Steadfastness. Jesus is also a real person who lived in Roman Judea in the first century of the Common Era. Muslims share with Christians most of the basic outlines of Jesus’ story ...
The religious aspect of the Israel-Palestine conflict
WEBJun 16, 2021 — The religious aspect of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Palestinians run away from tear gas during clashes with Israeli security forces at the Al-Asqa Mosque compound in Jerusalelm's Old City on May 10. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) In mid-May, violence between Gaza and Israel intensified to levels not seen for years, with Hamas shooting hundreds of ...
“Dad, why does Deuteronomy 20 talk about killing the boys and …
WEBJun 30, 2021 — by Matthew Schlimm in the June 30, 2021 issue. (Source images by Titian (public domain) and Mitchell Luo on Unsplash) I recently felt heartbreak when my daughter, shortly after receiving her first Bible, stumbled onto Deuteronomy 20, which commands Israelites to kill all that breathes in Canaan (vv. 16–18). I’m a pacifist, and that chapter ...
The Samaritan woman vs. our assumptions (John 4:5-42)
WEBMar 10, 2023 — In John 4, Jesus notably makes no moral commentary on the marital status of the Samaritan woman. His observation of her relationship history only becomes an opportunity for him to highlight his divinity. That background sets up expectations for this narrative, expectations that go notably unfulfilled.
The purpose of dinosaurs: Extinction and the goodness of God
WEBOct 2, 2013 — Without competition from the dinosaurs, mammals—until that time minor players in earth’s history—suddenly flourished in the new environment. The diversification of mammals eventually ended up in the emergence of Homo sapiens—and that development, we might add, led to the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
Grace in the face of suicide: Theological questions and hopes
WEBMar 8, 2000 — Grace in the face of suicide: Theological questions and hopes. by Mary T. Stimming in the March 8, 2000 issue. Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide, by Kay Redfield Jamison. Every 17 minutes someone in America takes his or her own life. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, and …
In America, Jesus is Black because he was Jewish
WEBFeb 9, 2022 — It is racial because the invention of Blackness is rooted in the Christian denial of Jewishness. Whiteness as a racial concept—which is to say, as the racist assignment of superiority to people of a certain hue hailing from a certain territory or culture—forgets that, for Christians, the only relevant distinction among the …
One God, one Lord: How Paul redefines monotheism - The …
WEBNov 27, 2013 — Paul sees the community of those who live by the rule of the One God, One Lord—the community of the crucified Messiah, defined by him in his death and resurrection (Rom. 14:9)—as the community in and through whom God’s sovereign rule is coming to birth. To pray the revised Shema, just as much as the ancient one, was to …