Voices
John W. Martens is a professor of theology and director of the Centre for Christian Engagement at St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
The Word
The correlation of the roles of king and shepherd precedes even the Old Testament Akkadian Babylonian and Sumerian texts including the Code of Hammurabi all invoke the king as shepherd Clearly this association emerges from the pastoral context of the time when sheep- and goat-herding were cent
The Good Word
This is the third entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles The first entrycovered some of the major critical technical and background issues that will concern us as we read through and comment on the Acts The second post found here considered the prologue to the
The Word
To be ldquo awake and sober rdquo seems like a minimalist approach to the Christian life but it is a figurative sign of the Christian spiritual life engaged and diligent Paul exhorts the Thessalonians in the context of the parousia the second coming of Christ which the early Christians hoped m
The Good Word
This is the second entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles The first entry covered some of the major critical technical and background issues that will concern us as we read through and comment on the Acts In this the second post we start to consider the text of
The Word
The Lateran Basilica in Rome is not the home parish for many of us though some might have visited it It is the pope rsquo s own cathedral but we are parishioners at churches closer to home with less ancient and lofty origins and nicknames like St Joe rsquo s and St Mike rsquo s Our home paris
The Word
What happens when we die This is a question most people ask at some point perhaps especially Christians who look forward to the resurrection at the end of time But in the interim prior to the general resurrection what happens to those who have died Where do they go This is a confusing issue
The Good Word
This is the first entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles This will be a challenging commentary to take on in an online format because there are numerous technical issues associated with the text of the Acts of the Apostles which are not at the heart of this online
The Word
In the covenant code in Exodus in which Moses reveals God rsquo s prohibitions and commandments to the Israelites we quickly learn that God is a God who hears the voices of the powerless who sees the needs of the poor The terms of the covenant directed the Israelites not to ldquo wrong or oppre
The Word
One of Jesus rsquo most famous sayings challenges us to consider a simple question what do I owe to whom The saying is mellifluous in the King James translation ldquo Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar rsquo s and unto God the things that are God rsquo s rdquo It is tea
The Word
There is no more compelling image for the city of God than that of the banquet drawing as it does on the common experiences of good food and drink I remember the cities I have visited by the food I ate in them so this picture of the feast resonates at a deep human level Feasts recall times of j