I’m working on my paper for the St. Andrews Galatians conference in which I’ll include a small section hoping to clarify that Luther’s Galatians commentary is more concerned with theological interpretation than historical description.  It is much more like Barth’s Romans commentary than a pure biblical studies commentary focused merely on historical-critical exegesis. Barth certainly […]

The scholarly consensus on the authorship of Ephesians is that Paul did not write it.  I think this is mistaken and I find the arguments in favor of pseudonymity to be seriously unconvincing.  It isn’t easy, however, to find sane discussions of this issue. Peter Williamson contributed the volume on Ephesians for the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture […]

It’s the summer and I’ve been jotting down some notes and reflections after one year of teaching seminary.  One item occupying my mind over the last few weeks is what to do with students using laptops in the classroom. When I taught undergraduates, I banned all electronic technologies.  They were nothing but a distraction and […]

*Originally given at Midtown Christian Community, May 15, 2010. O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ […]

This past semester I taught a course on the Letter to the Hebrews.  I was a bit intimidated and often felt overmatched because I had not given Hebrews much sustained attention in the past.  I took a Greek exegesis course on Hebrews in seminary, but we focused far more on Greek constructions to the neglect of its […]

This has bothered me for a while now and I’ve had several conversations with friends recently about it.  I don’t know what exactly can be done about it and I’m not really sure that I have much of a stake in it.  Nonetheless, it’s a situation that I find lamentable. I’ve been struck recently by how much […]

I’ve written previously that there’s something nearly sacramental about solidarity with and care for the poor in the name of Jesus.  As many have noted, most recently N. T. Wright in his book How God Became King, it’s easy for Christians who want to be more socially conscious to imagine that the way to do […]

It seems to me that Christians ask the wrong sorts of questions when they encounter extremely difficult, trying, and stressful situations. We typically focus on the source and purpose of the stress.  Did this come from God?  If so, why is he doing this?  What’s he trying to tell me?  Have I done something wrong […]

*Originally given at Midtown Christian Community, May 15, 2009 O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can […]

N. T. Wright contrasts the Kingdom of God with all other earthly kingdoms.  God’s identity as cruciform and his character of self-giving love orients and shapes his Kingdom. An essential component of this is prophetic truth-speaking.  This is often confused among many Christian people today who applaud the angry and hysterical political rhetoric that dominates […]