I no longer worry that Christians are agents of death

Last Sunday, the lectionary invited us to ponder Luke 5:1-11. The English Standard Version supplies the passage with the heading “Jesus Calls the First Disciples.” Christian speech can seem very strange to outsiders. The first time I attended a church service, I was horrified when the congregation sang “I really want to bless you, Lord.” …

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The virgin, the widow, and the bridegroom

This Sunday, the lectionary offers us an alternative gospel reading, because it’s also the day of the “Feast of The Presentation of the Lord.” The passage is Luke 2:22-40. The English Standard Version supplies it with the heading “Jesus Presented at the Temple.” On feast days, churches celebrate special moments in the story of salvation. …

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Luke’s pregnant fourth story of the adult Jesus

This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 4:21-30. The English Standard Version puts verses 16-30 under the heading “Jesus Rejected at Nazareth.” Last week, I wrote about verses 14-21. Those verses end with Jesus receiving a positive reception – almost a standing ovation – in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. People …

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The Word speaks words, and wine comes into being

This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder John 2:1-11. The English Standard Version extends the cluster to include verse 12 and supplies it with the heading “The Wedding at Cana.” The title is descriptive, not theological. But, as I’ve said in several earlier columns, John is a theologian.[1] He wrote his gospel to teach …

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Did Mary and Luke commit sedition? A Malaysian reading.

This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Luke 1:39-55. The English Standard version supplies it with the titles “Mary Visits Elizabeth,” and “Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat.” Today, I’ll explain why I think that in her song Mary did something which, in Malaysia, would amount to the criminal offence of sedition. We often …

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The judge is coming and I’m here to serve subpoenas

This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to meditate on Luke 7:18-28. The English Standard version groups verses 18-35 together and supplies the title “Messengers from John the Baptist.” My title is borrowed from Fred Craddock. It graphically states what John thought was the purpose of his life. He thought his purpose was to serve subpoenas, …

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