Those that follow the teachings of Christ believe in a spiritual advocate, a helper, a guide—a form of God within us, often called the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us courage, optimism, and hope, while also challenging, nudging, and correcting us. The Spirit develops our rooted faith, more than our conscience can on its own, illuminating for […]
Tag: Scripture
On History and Modernity
History can be a hard subject for the Christ-follower to reflect on and consider. So many dark, dangerous, and truly evil things were done (and are still done) in the name of Jesus. As those that follow the Light of the World, we have a duty to learn from history and absorb it in its entirety, […]
On Conscience
One of Martin Luther’s most well-known quotes comes from when he was asked to retract his statements (which, at the time, were considered heretical and wrong). Standing before the authorities of his day, Luther said “…my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant, since it is neither safe nor […]
On Marveling
Our modern society is information driven. We seek out facts, desiring to know the answers to everything. We rarely step back and simply marvel. In the Gospel narratives, those encountering Jesus frequently find themselves in wonder when they hear Jesus’ teachings or see His actions. Different translations have used different words for this: astounded, amazed, […]
On Jesus (part two)
There are several key attributes of Jesus that the church at the time of the Reformation had muted: Jesus’ authority, divinity, and humanity. Uniquely, those same attributes are often muted in many churches today, as well as in our hearts. So, today, a reflection on Jesus’ authority: While the church became more powerful and structured, […]
On Jesus (part one)
Similar to how Scripture had become buried and re-worked by 1517 (to benefit the authorities of the day and keep the powerful in control), so too had become the central figure of Christianity, Jesus the Christ. His words had become watered-down and His identity had become muted. Now, it is important to add that it […]
On Scripture (part three)
Like most things in life, simply starting is the hardest part. When you think about starting a diet or something like that you could spend hours looking up what to do and what options you have. The hours turn in to days, and the days turn in to weeks. And you make no progress. The […]
On Scripture (part two)
The Bible was not printed in the common language when the Reformation began 500 years ago. And when it started becoming available, people realized their hunger for the Word. Today access is abundant, but for many the Bible seems unnecessary, outdated, and irrelevant. For others, Scripture is lifted up higher than God Himself, and it […]
On Scripture (part one)
If we look at the Reformation and conclude “it was merely the result of years of societal injustices that eventually lead to a tipping point”, then we are not looking at the entire picture. What happened in 1517, and the surrounding years, was the result of what had happened to Scripture. At the time, the […]
On Silence
We know little about the first 30 years of Jesus’ life. History is mostly silent on the matter. I sometimes ponder about the Jesus of his teens and 20s: What did he do when he was a young adult? Did he do the work of his earthly father, Joseph? (A carpenter.) Or did he do […]
Relevant Reformation 