Passions of Prometheus

I DON'T THINK that it is inconsequential that my heroes are men.... It is not because women are not as passionate, creative, or in any way undeserving that they don't make my short list of heroes. Rather, it is because I share with most men an inclination toward "Prometheanism". I don't know why it is not as prevalent in most women. Perhaps it is the hard wiring of centuries of birthing and caring for life (if I am allowed that stereotypical explanation). I do not think it is because women are morally superior to men, only that

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Hearers and Doers of the Word

We have had a variety of experiences in relationship to the Bible that colour how we have come to approach it. Some recall positive experiences of hearing a grace-filled word, others recall negative experiences of being held to account by its . Whatever our past experiences, many of us have been surprised to discover, through various authors or our own reading, that the Bible contains a depth of meaning beyond what we expected. The Word was introduced as an 'incarnate and living word', 'like Christ' in that it actually exists yet points to something transcendent. It is meant to be

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A Storm Of A Different Sort

The primary difference between Paul's shipwreck and the disciple's encounter with the squall is the calming presence of Jesus. Unlike Paul, Jesus has no hesitation in taking the journey. He is at peace and confident to such an extent that he falls asleep in the boat. Usually falling asleep symbolically means falling into unconsciousness; however, in this instance Jesus' sleep represents utter trust and reliance on God.

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Ethics: Duty or Relationships?

Duty has that feel of doing more in terms of law, to perform more and more actions. Those actions seem to be based, if we don't watch it, those actions can be based on rules. You don't not have fornication because you have to obey the rule. You don't do anything because the rule's there. The rule is there because of the love. Not that you have the rule first and then comes the love. I think what is going on is there is a transformation of the human personality that takes place as a result of coming into contact

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Jesus' Ethics of Compassion in Luke

Luke 7, and its stories of Jesus' healing of the Centurion's servant and raising the widow's son, illustrate the ethic of compassion taught by Jesus in the previous chapter. Luke shows that Jesus doesn't buy into religious sensibilities; he lives by a different ethic, crossing barriers and pushing limits because he's listening to the voice of God. The Centurion's Story — Jesus Went with Them The Centurion's story illustrates how far Jesus will go in doing good. Appointed by Rome to oversee 80 to 100 soldiers, the Centurion was also a friend of the Jews as a benefactor of the

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Listening to Jesus in Luke

As his narrative turns from Jesus' healing & teaching ministry in the countryside of Galilee towards his long trek to Jerusalem in which he teaches his disciples about true discipleship, Luke is reminding his listeners that Jesus is no ordinary prophet. Luke is saying Jesus is not John the fiery preacher. Nor is he Moses the great law-giver or the larger-than-life prophet Elijah. Jesus, as Peter confesses first, is greater than all of these -- the very Messiah of God. He is the radiant Son of Man who has a profound connection to God. There is urgency to Luke's voice

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The Stranger At The Door: Review of The Broken Wall

Even though Paul may not have been the writer of Ephesians, I read a description of him in a recent book that intrigued and inspired me. The apostle we are used to is pretty much a nose-to- the-grindstone kind of guy, a genuinely balanced person on a mission from God. Listen to this different description of him from a recent book by Canadian scholar Donald Akenson: Notice the man coming up the street, you've seen him before, lots of times, on different streets, various cities, other continents. He's the nearest thing we have to a witness so keep your eye

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Types of Christian Spirituality

We started on the interesting note that if you were to bring up the topic of spirituality 30 years ago, there wouldn't necessarily be a lot to talk about: one definition of spirituality existed. This was because in general people weren't talking about spirituality except in Roman Catholic circles. Protestants tended to avoid the term spirituality. They were more likely to use the terms holiness, godliness, or discipleship in describing a life lived in relationship to God. But now you can't say the word spirituality and expect Christians to know what you mean because there are so many different expressions

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