In this continuation of Jesus in Boulder I want to look at the claim that Jesus did on occasion turn people away as Fr Breslin writes in a recent Lenten meditation Then I want to discuss whether if Jesus turned people away nbsp did he turn away their children in addition First we must dete
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
Jesus in Boulder (1)
There are still a few biblical issues in my mind regarding the recent decision to exclude two schoolchildren from the Catholic school at the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Boulder Colorado They are as follows is it for the children rsquo s benefit to turn them away from school in order that th
Posted inThe Good Word
Father and Son
The Gospel passage for the Wednesday of the Fourth week of Lent John 5 17-30 seems on first reading to be like so much of John ethereal and other-worldly It might be that as well but it is one of the most down-to-earth passages in the Gospels Some years ago the British New Testament scholar C
Posted inThe Good Word
“Behold, new things have come”
It was less than a month ago Ash Wednesday that I wrote on 2 Corinthians 5 20-6 2 The second reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent 2 Corinthians 5 17-21 overlaps with the Ash Wednesday passage in a substantial manner I wrote then that Paul is indeed making an official offer a guaranteed of
Posted inThe Good Word
The Apostle Paul in Denver
Does the Apostle Paul help us understand what rsquo s going on in Denver You might ask what rsquo s going on in Denver Two children preschoolers whose parents are lesbians are not going to be able to continue their education in the Catholic school at Sacred Heart of Jesus parish The reasons o
Posted inThe Good Word
A Lenten Scripture Reflection
There are numerous positives to blogging on the scripture people actually read what you have written the time between writing and publishing is not measured in months and years but in minutes and you can write in a less formal style than is required by academia allowing you often to bridge hear
Posted inThe Good Word
“Now is a very acceptable time”
There are many ways in which Paul speaks of what Christ has done for us justification transformation glorification redemption salvation freedom and reconciliation There are more terms which Paul uses but I want to focus on reconciliation which is used in the Second Reading for Ash Wednesda
Posted inThe Good Word
Who dat, who dat, who dat say they gonna’ beat these saints?
By whatever name it is called Carnival Fat Tuesday Shrove Tuesday Fastnacht people know Mardi Gras whether Catholic or not Whether they know the purpose of it is another matter since Mardi Gras in New Orleans the best known example of the celebration in North America seems to be a celebrat
Posted inThe Good Word
A Valentine’s Day Present (Eternally Yours)
You want love on St Valentine rsquo s Day You rsquo ve come to the right place No they do not call me Dr Love least of all my wife who has the most and best information I introduce you to St Paul and his account of the significance of Jesus Christ rsquo s resurrection the one who loves us
Posted inThe Good Word
Up Close and Personal
The Gospel passage for today Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Mark 7 24-30 deals with Jesus rsquo encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman whose Matthean parallel I blogged about on three different occasions last Lent here here and here In Mark rsquo s version as in Matthew rsquo