On and off between the years 1542-1563, Calvin wrestled with and returned to Genesis; his commentaries have been known and loved ever since, especially in the English-speaking world. They remain a well-worn resource for preachers and teachers, with Genesis not the least within the Canon. The Calvin Studies Society translations are widely available. Calvin’s sermons are…

As one in the public square regularly, I often find myself in contentious space. I sometimes am the “token” evangelical chosen to defend what many see as indefensible or presenting a perspective some have trouble appreciating. It makes for interesting conversation. What is amazing is that I often find the opposition is not because someone…

But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days? Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old—unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with…

Is ‘ādām unclean, trampled ‘ādāmāh? Can ‘ādām be re-formed, given New Life? In the Toy Story trilogy, being marked by Andy’s name not only changes how his toys see themselves but how they see toys who are not Andy’s. At first, Buzz and Woody are terrified by Sid’s warped and misfit toys—a doll’s head on spider…

There are two cautions that must be recognized before beginning construction on the foundation laid in the last exploration. First, I want to be sensitive to the historical particularity of the biblical text addressing the matters of Jubilee and lamentation. The nature of lamentation, for example, will be a product of a reflection on the…

I assume that behind the attempts to rid the public of signs of the old Confederacy is the motivation by proponents to accomplish elements of Jubilee: restoration, forgiveness, healing and the empowerment of all people in our communities to flourish. If this is the case, then, to denigrate what some people hold dear, even if…

“What makes a people great?” I contemplated this question during the Black Church Studies conference last month, along with a few other questions that I’ve reflected upon in previous posts (“The Church as Channel of Jubilee,” “What is the black church?“, and “What is Justice?“). But only until recently could I pinpoint a potentially foundational…

I am wrestling with questions revisited at the Black Church Studies conference held at Princeton Theological Seminary in the early part of May, 2015. I come again to my second question, what is justice? As I come, I am aware that I know so little about it, or better to say, I have little understanding…

Recounting the long history of mistreatment experienced by Alaskan Eskimos and other indigenous peoples in this country, Curtis Ivanoff stressed that Jesus Christ is the only hope for reconciliation in the long journey of righting past wrongs, mending broken relationships, and bringing healing amidst deep pain and struggle. In the final installment of the Timothy Series, the…

In my previous reflection,  Jubilee, Temptation, and Growth in Awareness (1), I entertained the thought that a part of the rationale for the Jubilee year was to provide a test in order to enhance the awareness of God’s people of what God already knew about them. The desire to maintain power through maintenance of material…

People simply do not divest themselves of power and perceived security. There is power and seeming security in having an abundance materially. In my recent explorations, I have written of the Jubilee of forgiveness. I am making a small shift here. Whether it is a restoration of land and forgiveness of debt, or forgiveness extended…

In my last attempt at some needed soul searching, I reflected on Dr. King’s challenge for oppressed people to learn to forgive. I shared how uneasy this thought made me feel because of my problematic tendency to never forget a slight, much less a clear demonstrations of disrespect. It is hard to let go of…