A candid image of Swiss Reformed theologian Karl Barth (1886–1968). Joshua 11:16-23 After a church service where the great Swiss theologian Karl Barth had preached, a man greeted him at the door and said, “I’m an astronomer, and as far as I am concerned, the whole of Christianity can be summed up by saying, ‘Do unto …
What do these stones mean?
Known in Arabic as Al-Maghtas, the traditional site of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptiser. Centuries before, Joshua may have led the Israelites across the Jordan River in this vicinity, which may be why John chose the location to baptise his converts. For Christians, the third most holy site in the world, after …
Finding my pace in the presence of God
Joshua chapters 3 and 4 describe how Israel crossed the Jordan River into the land of Canaan. More about the ethics of that next week. After forty years sequestered in the desert as virtual nomads, the people stand on the banks of the Jordan River. Behind them lies a generation shaped by slavery, exodus, testing, and …
Courage for the journey
“Be strong and courageous!” It sounds like a quote from a self-help manual. The opening chapter of the Book of Joshua is one of the Bible’s great texts on courage. Following the death of Moses, Joshua faces the daunting task of leading Israel into the promised land. The people are in transition. Their great leader …
All Told 