History & Transmission of the Lord’s Prayer
Catholics took their Lord’s Prayer from one preferred by Henry the VIII in 1545; Protestants, perhaps, from Martin Bucer from 1539.
History & Transmission of the Bible
The history of translation and transmission of the Bible was complex, contentious, and sometimes violent.
Domestic Violence as Idolatry
The ancient gods blamed humanity for their own failings and problems. If humanity didn’t soothe them, they were struck down. Abusers treat their victims the same way.
The Reformation’s African Ties: Abba Mika’el & Martin Luther
Martin Luther was thrilled to find theological connections with Abba Mika’el – a deacon from Ethiopia. They saw unity in their Christian faith looking backwards and forwards.
Walking with the Hebrew People through the Red Sea
Imagining what it was like walking through the Red Sea for kids and elders, the cynical and the faithful.
Sharing a Church in the Holy Land Gets Complicated
Six different denominations vie for space at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem – sometimes with violence.
Herod’s Drive for Power
Herod was ruthless and violent in his quest for power long before Jesus was born.
Yosef, a Gentile, and the Sabbath: A Parable from the Talmud
When you honor the Sabbath with the best of what you have, the Sabbath will bless you abundantly.
Athaliah & Jehosheba: Context
The history and political intrigue that is the setting for Jehosheba’s stand against Athaliah.
Calling Jesus the Shepherd and Guardian of Our Souls
The term “guardian” could mean many things from project manager to accountant to bureaucrat to spy. How is Jesus our guardian?