Messy Jesus Blog a new blog run by Sr Julia Walsh FSPA nbsp and her friends has a guest blog from Sr Sarah Hennessey reflecting on the Baptism of Jesus The entry Segues looks at the reality of transitions in our lives Liturgically now is a moment of segues from the nativity of Epiphany t
John W. Martens
John W. Martens is an associate professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn,where he teaches early Christianity and Judaism. He also directs the Master of Arts in Theology program at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. He was born in Vancouver, B.C. into a Mennonite family that had decided to confront modernity in an urban setting. His post-secondary education began at Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas, came to an abrupt stop, then started again at Vancouver Community College, where his interest in Judaism and Christianity in the earliest centuries emerged. He then studied at St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, and McMaster University, with stops at University of Haifa and University of Tubingen. His writing often explores the intersection of Jewish, Christian and Greco-Roman culture and belief, such as in "let the little children come to me: Children and Childhood in Early Christianity" (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2009), but he is not beyond jumping into the intersection of modernity and ancient religion, as in "The End of the World: The Apocalyptic Imagination in Film and Television" (Winnipeg: J. Gordon Shillingford Press, 2003). He blogs at www.biblejunkies.com and at www.americamagazine.org for "The Good Word." You can follow him on Twitter @biblejunkies, where he would be excited to welcome you to his random and obscure interests, which range from the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Timberwolves, to his dog, and 70s punk, pop and rock. When he can, he brings students to Greece, Turkey and Rome to explore the artifacts and landscape of the ancient world. He lives in St. Paul with his wife and has two sons. He is certain that the world will not end until the Vancouver Canucks have won the Stanley Cup, as evidence has emerged from the Revelation of John, 1 Enoch, 2 Baruch, and 4 Ezra which all point in this direction.
Posted inThe Good Word
“True Grit” and Paul’s Letter to the Romans
This reflection on True Grit contains a multitude of spoilers True Grit is a biblical movie from the beginning to the end not just in terms of biblical citations and hymns which mine the biblical landscape but in terms of characterization themes tone and feel The Coen brothers rsquo film
Posted inThe Good Word
Epiphany
If it is true that God is the end to which we are all called the source from whom all life emerges and the goal for which we yearn and strain then it is so for all people The knowledge of God is not simply something which becomes known with the coming of Christ it was known before his coming and
Posted inThe Good Word
Happy New Year! Or is it? (Updated)
Happy New Year Or is it The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas December 31 has readings from 1 John 2 18-21 and John 1 1-18 the first a little chilling the second very heart-warming nbsp Just like winter in the frozen north when you step into a warm house from the frigid outdoors nbsp
Posted inThe Good Word
Christmas Celebration
When I was 5 or 6 years old I convinced my mother that I should sleep under the Christmas tree so that I could wait for Santa and greet him when he arrived at our house I don rsquo t recall much of the rest of that night but I have always been a fitful sleeper and I rolled into the tree and crash
Posted inFaith, The Good Word
Was the date of Jesus’ birthday chosen from a pagan celebration?
The claim that Christians chose December 25th as Jesus’ birthday because it coincided with pagan celebrations is probably incorrect.
Posted inThe Good Word
Advent and the Liturgical Year
In the midst of this blog s focus on Advent properly I might say and the liturgical year in general which is the focus of the Catholic Church s activities the year round an interesting challenge of sorts comes from the blog nbsp Inhabitatio Dei in the post The Impotence of the Liturgical Year
Posted inThe Good Word
Poor Baby Jesus
The blog Messy Jesus Business has a post on Advent and our Christmas habits called the disturbing poor baby Jesus by Sister Julia Walsh FSPA Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Here is an excerpt I am even more disturbed when I read the Christmas story in the bible and let it challenge
Posted inThe Good Word
Advent 4: Fulfillment
Because we are so used to the Incarnation of the child who came to live among us and the manner in which it happened nbsp I think we take for granted its inevitability It was not necessary God could have redeemed humanity in some other way with more might more power more fireworks – think Holl
Posted inThe Good Word
LOLcat Bible? The Ceiling Cat Speaks
I am not certain that I understand lolspeak or its origin though I think it must have started at some point with texting teens I do understand that LOL is laughing out loud I am quite certain that I do not understand the online phenomenon of lolcats but they seem to be everywhere Now howev