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.
FaithThe Word
In biblical poetry a vineyard often represents the beloved. The prophet Isaiah begins to “sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard,” a song in which God’s affectionate care of Israel is recounted. The love song quickly becomes a lover’s lament, though, as Isaiah tells how the vineyard was prepared with tenderness, but since it produced “wild grapes,” it will now be abandoned.
The Word
And more much more than this I did it my way rdquo sang Frank Sinatra There is something life-affirming about doing it ldquo my way rdquo charting one rsquo s own path following one rsquo s conscience and talents and not compromising one rsquo s values along the way But when it comes to th
The Good Word
There was an article in Salon com on September 1 2014 titled 5 Reasons to Suspect that Jesus never Existed This is problematic if true for scholars of the historical Jesus but more problematic for the millions upon millions of people who believe in Jesus not just as a human being but also as a
The Good Word
In the first entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on Galatians I discussed introductory matters concerning the founding of the churches to the Galatians the situation when Paul wrote to them when the letter might have been written and the type of letters which Paul wrote based on the com
The Word
What are the ways of God There are twin dangers for us when we consider this question On the one hand some people consider God rsquo s ways so inscrutable that they no longer trust we can know how God acts or what God demands of us This draws some people to the point of disbelief If God rsquo s
The Good Word
In the first entry in the Bible Junkies Online Commentary on Galatians I discussed introductory matters concerning the founding of the churches to the Galatians the situation when Paul wrote to them when the letter might have been written and the type of letters which Paul wrote based on the com
The Word
We are called to travel many paths some that challenge us others that inspire us To trust in God is to trust that whatever path we are now on is the one that will ultimately bring us to the Promised Land This is easy to say especially when one rsquo s path is not meandering through war zones or
The Word
What does it mean to love your neighbor Paul says that ldquo love does no evil to the neighbor rdquo and that ldquo love is the fulfillment of the law rdquo How do these two statements coalesce to produce a practical Christian ethic of behavior One is stated negatively mdash love does no evil
The Word
One of the most shocking but welcome aspects of the Bible is how often power is challenged It occurs so often in the biblical tradition that we might take it for granted but the practice of saying uncomfortable things to those who have authority to speak from a position of weakness to those who
The Word
Much modern talk about God tends to reduce the creator to a living doll who wants to give us a divine cuddle There is no doubt that the essence of God rsquo s being is love but the experience of that love and of God rsquo s being is not always an experience of comfort and ease God can disturb th