• 6 Minute Read Mary. There’s something about her, so they say. Protestants haven’t known what to do with her. I’ve seen two basic trends. 1) Protestants who ignore Mary’s subversive joy. 2) Protestants who run from Mary’s miracle. Both of these trends are troubling. Many “traditionalists” ignore Mary (for the most part) because of …
Baby Jesus meek and mild, overthrew an empire – Wild!
• 6 Minute Read Baby Jesus Meek and Mild // Pray for me an Orphan Child // Be my strength, be my friend // Be with me until the end Perhaps you remember this prayer from childhood that kids would say around Christmas time. Well, kids… buckle up…because this post is all about the …
Repurposed for Peace: Christmas, Crucifixion & Reconciliation
• 2 Minute Read They shall beat swords into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, [nor] learn war anymore. Isaiah 2.4 (NRSV) I have a bottle topper that says: “Recycled from disarmed nuclear weapon systems.” Its opposite reads: “Make wine not war.” Whether you drink wine or …
2 Reasons NOT to ‘Keep Christ in Christmas’
• 4 Minute Read ————————– *Guest Post: By Jeff K. Clarke ————————– Keep Christ in Christmas is the slogan of choice for many Christians during this time of year. We see the phrase used all over the place – from Facebook posts, Twitter feeds and Instagram pictures, to Pinterest links and blog posts. However, while Keep …
Jesus was Born in Bethlehem, NOT Rome: Choosing to Lose the “War for Christmas”
• 4 Minute Read Each year Christmas comes along and so do various controversies. Yesterday, my friend Jeff Clarke wrote: However, when we post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram our demand for people to Keep Christ in Christmas, we are in that moment displaying a degree of arrogance, not humility. Instead of pointing people to the humble …
Paulcast: Rerouting the Romans Road: Audience and Purpose of Romans | S2 E2 (EP-70)
• 1 Minute Read Subscribe via iTunes or Google Season 2, Episode 2 (2018) The audience and purpose of Romans is a foundational matter of debate in the study of Paul’s letters. In this episode, Kurt Willems 1) gives a broad background to the issues, 2) looks at the Romans Road as something that is an example …
Get Weird: Your Identity Matters More than Your Story (CJ Casciotta)
• 4 Minute Read Before I get to the blog today, I want to do two quick things. First, I’m sooooooooo excited about my friend Stefan Lako’s new podcast, Is This It?. Not only did I get the chance to work with Stefan on this podcast launch, but I was also interviewed by him. Beyond …
Paulcast: “Gentile” isn’t in the Bible… And Why it Matters | S2 E1 (EP-69)
• 1 Minute Read Subscribe via iTunes or Google Season 2, Episode 1 (2018) What in the world is “a gentile?” This term gets used in the Bible but where did it come from? In this episode, Kurt argues that it actually isn’t a biblical term and we need to get it out of our English translations. …
James: So Close to Jesus that his Language Changed (an insight from Scot Mcknight)
• 5 Minute Read One of the highlights of my past couple of months was heading out to my denomination’s (BIC) bi-annual General Assembly. There were several significant moments that stand out from that gathering. However, I want to share one of them with you. But before I do, I wanted to let you …
What is the Kingdom of God? (with Frank Viola)
• 4 Minute Read In sum, the kingdom of God includes the King (the ruler), God’s reign (rulership), and the people ruled (realm). Again, the kingdom is the manifestation of God’s ruling presence.
Sunday is Not the Main Event: A Practice-Based Christianity (Aaron Niequist)
• 6 Minute Read Kurt: Today I’m excited to share with you an excerpt from my friend Aaron Niequist’s brand new book: The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save Us from Drowning. I’ve been waiting a long time to get a copy in my hands. And let me tell you: this book will …
10 Years Ago, I Embraced Nonviolence & Anabaptism
• 4 Minute Read In the past month or so, I’ve been interviewed on two different podcasts. Bros, Bible’s, & Beer: This was fun. Three great guys who talk about faith from three different angles. One is closer to where I’d be at when it comes to theology. Another is more in the conservative-evangelical …
Ronald Herms on Apocrypha and Second Temple Literature | S1 E10 (EP-68) – Paulcast
• 1 Minute Read Subscribe via iTunes or Google Season 1, Episode 10 (Spring Season, 2018) In the last episode of the season, Kurt chats with Ronald Herms, co-editor of Early Jewish Literature: An Anthology. They talk apocrypha, second temple Judaism, and Jesus. This is a conversation that will help orient us towards the world and narratives …
666 | S1 E8 (EP-8) – Rapture Drill Podcast
• 1 Minute Read Subscribe via iTunes or Google Season 1, Episode 8 (Spring Season, 2018) In this episode, Kurt explores the mysterious and infamous number in the bible: 666. It is the topic of horror films and turn-or-burn preachers alike. But what did it mean in the first century? What significance does it have for us …
Craig Keener on Acts, Paul, and Miracles | S1 E9 (EP-67) – Paulcast
• 1 Minute Read Subscribe via iTunes or Google Season 1, Episode 9 (Spring Season, 2018) In this episode, Kurt chats with biblical scholar and classicist Craig Keener. He has done extensive research on the book of Acts including producing a massive four volume commentary, which some have said may be the largest commentary ever produced on …