“Portrait of Friedrich Nietzsche”, by Edvard Munch, c. 1906. I curated this list on 13 April 2025 to complement a sermon I preached on Psalm 14:1. The list presents brief biblical and theological responses to nine common reasons why people embrace atheism in the 21st century. 1. Scientific Understanding Atheist Claim: Science provides more reliable explanations …
Was Jesus the first ecumenist?
The term 'ecumenism' as we understand it today did not exist in the time of Jesus. Yet his teaching and actions demonstrate a strong desire for unity. Three key biblical texts indicate this desire for unity and cooperation among those who followed Jesus. The first is a command for his apprentices to love one another as …
Regeneration, retreat, or decluttering? The many faces of Lent
Ask people what they’re doing for Lent, and you’re likely to get a wide range of replies. Formally, Lent is a 40-day season in the Christian liturgical calendar intended to prepare the faithful to experience the ultimate meaning and resurrection joy of Easter. We take the word “Lent” from the Anglo-Saxon lencten, meaning “spring-time,” which in the …
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One kneeling, one looking down
Les Murray My half-buried timbers chained in corduroylead out into the sandwhich bare feet wincing Crutch and Crotchspurn for the summer surf’s embroideryand insects stay up on the land. A storm engrossing half the skyin broccoli and seething draband standing on one foot over the countryburrs like a lit torch. Lightningturns air to elixir at …
The vocation and mission of Jesus
The Hebrew Bible contains hints, types, allusions and prophecies relating to Jesus, but the New Testament is filled with references to Jesus, stories told by Jesus, wonders performed by him, and summaries of his teaching. The New Testament identifies Jesus as a carpenter and a teacher. He was raised in a poor Jewish home and, …
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