Apocalypses have always been fascinating to decipher which is one of their attractions over the centuries Dense symbolism angelic mediators cryptic numerical references kingdoms which are presented as animals all presented as emerging in many instances from the hoary past pull the reader int
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
“What do you want me to do for you?”
The Gospel reading for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 10 46-52 gains much of its strength from its location in the Gospel of Mark In the central portion of Mark Jesus three times predicts his passion with similar responses from his Apostles In 8 31-33 after identifying Jesus as th
Posted inThe Good Word
It’s the end of the World as I know it (and I feel terrible)
The first reading for the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st is from Revelation 7 2-4 9-14 I thought that it might be worthwhile over the next two weeks to take a look at Revelation in particular and at apocalyptic thought in general For if it is true that biblical literacy in general is wa
Posted inThe Good Word
Mercy
The second reading for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Hebrews 4 14-16 continues directly from last week s second reading and confirms the point I made last week that the fact that Jesus Christ knows our innermost thoughts and all of our deeds is a warning to amend our ways surely but
Posted inThe Good Word
“No creature is concealed from him”
An overarching point of Hebrews chapter four is that we are destined for a sabbath rest so then a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God for those who enter God s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his Hebrews 4 9-10 NRSV This is a heavenly image especially for a wo
Posted inThe Good Word
“But we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death”
The second reading for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time raises a couple of questions even prior to an examination of content One is the reading itself as presented in the lectionary which omits what seems to be a crucial phrase from verse 9 Two is how the reading fits in the context of the Old Tes
Posted inThe Good Word
“Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries”
The second reading for the 26th nbsp Sunday in Ordinary Time is another no-holds-barred passage from James 5 1-6 Come now you rich weep and wail over your impending miseries Your wealth has rotted away your clothes have become moth-eaten your gold and silver have corroded and that corrosion wil
Posted inThe Good Word
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
The Gospel passage for the Feast of Saint Matthew is Matthew 9 9-13 As Jesus passed by he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post He said to him Follow me And he got up and followed him While he was at table in his house many tax collectors and sinners cameand sat with Jesus and his
Posted inThe Good Word
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This week school begins for many The beginning of the school year is a scramble whether you are a student or a teacher preparing to return to the classroom And no matter how old the students are or at what level the teacher instructs it often feels chaotic a little out of control and sometimes
Posted inThe Good Word
“You say to the poor one,’Stand there,’ or ‘Sit at my feet ‘”
There is a purity of purpose in the writing of James This Sunday rsquo s Second Reading James 2 1-5 gets to the heart of how the Christian message is meant to transform daily behavior and the always roiling issue of wealth and poverty It is worth reading in full My brothers and sisters show no