Pharisees

The Setting of the Parable Both the placement of the parable in the Bible and when the parable took place in Jesus’ life are important in understanding the meaning of the parable. While Mark’s version of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants is regarded as the closest to the synoptic traditions source (De Moor 63), it is Matthew’s placement of the parable that is most significant. The parable is sandwiched by two other parables: the Parable of the Two sons and the Parable of the Marriage Feast. All…

The future of Black America A reflection of Liberation and Spirituality In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. I remember saying this in elementary school, the only black girl in class. We then would wait until February, Black history Month, to deal with any of the implications that came with colonization. The trans Atlantic slaves voyagers would last from approximately 1526 to 1867, kidnapping over 12 million slaves from the coasts of Africa. Almost 11 million of the surviving chained…

Introduction The Bible is made of 66 books and it is divided into two major sections, the Old and the New Testaments. Both the Old and the New Testaments contains the narrative of how God’s reveal himself to humanity and his continual redemptive goal to transform our fallen human nature. Thirteen of the books in the Old Testament are attributed authorship to the Apostle Paul. In this lecture will discuss the Apostle Paul his life’s work and why it was was so crucial to the Christian faith.…

The Bible as we have today as found in the Greek New Testament (NA-28) and the Hebrew Old Testament are authentic to the original autographs as possible. Each of these published manuscripts have a unique history and verification along the way. The Hebrew Old Testament was written in Biblical Hebrew which is different from modern Hebrew. According to Josh McDowell, the Masoretic scribes from the 500-900 CE had the copying with exact precision down to the letters on a page. Scribes could not copy…

Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart and Flannery O’Connor’s short stories may seem to be worlds apart, but they were written in the same era and they both portray racism through the characters that are unwilling to change their ways. Each book is set in a different culture; Achebe’s is set in Nigeria in 1890’s and O’Connor’s stories are placed in the South during the 1950’s. Each culture has very different aspects, but when religion or Christianity was mixed into the culture they have…

dialoguing with the God “out there”. Or, even, the one who dwells within me as God’s temple. But they are separated from me, to begin to address the divinity with me as me - thats tip-toeing with what feels like blasphemy. Isn’t that exactly what the pharisees accused Jesus of? Scary! And, yet, I am to follow in His way. I have donse so with taking up my cross. Suffering is not the problem. Incarnating God - becoming God that a problem! Didn’t exactly roll off the tongue - or the heart! Scares…

A foundation must be laid before anything is built. Once the foundation is laid, various people come and set the frame, install electricity and plumbing, and tape and float the sheet rock. In addition, the home must be furnished with appliances and furniture. As with any home, additions and remodeling often occur once the home is built and occupied. My spiritual formation has taken a similar approach. In my earlier years, a strong foundation was laid that have served me throughout my life.…

“Christians need to be loving… Christians should be living witnesses.” Those were two sentences I heard on the drive to the restaurant with a christian family friend. This family friend seemed to genuinely care about the lost people of this world, and more importantly the condition of their salvation. Or at least I thought so. Upon arriving to the restaurant, just as we were beginning to eat, a “gay looking” man simply minding his own business passed by our table to join his friends. Immediately…

Then he calmly walked to those in the crowd and greeted them saying "Pax et Bonum." Suddenly there was a roar, and the crowd made way. A huge giant rushed forward and grabbed Francis by the scruff of the neck. It was his father. BERNARDONE: Come with me, now! FRANCIS: (Holding one of the columns of the temple) Where? I'm not going anywhere! BERNARDONE: (Roaring) Home! FRANCIS: My home is here – here in the square. And these men and…

Growing up as an inactive member of the Church I never had any real exposure to reading the scripture. My first real experience reading the scriptures in depth and studying them was in seminary, which to be honest was not the best way for me to learn about them. Trying to understand and take away from them at six in the morning did not really give me much of a background or knowledge of the Bible. So, when I enrolled in this class I felt as if I would have a difficult time. However, as the…