Published in Imago Dei Cafe·Sep 29, 2021A Redeeming Community: The Church According to LukeIntroduction In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke tells the story of a peculiar religious group, an offshoot of the Jewish faith that emerged from a small territory in Roman-occupied Palestine. Inspired by the virtues taught by a once crucified, yet resurrected Galilean named Jesus, this motley crew of diverse women…God14 min read
Published in Imago Dei Cafe·Sep 28, 2021Paul’s Self-Devaluation: An Exegetical Guide for Philippians 3:7–11INTRODUCTION Among the elements that characterized the culture of the first-century ancient Mediterranean, social status, closely tied to family origin and acquired honor, constituted the common thread entwined within the fabric of Greco-Roman society. In Philippians 3:7–11, following a review of his own credentials, Paul recategorizes the dominant social structure by…Bible17 min read
Published in Imago Dei Cafe·Mar 26, 2021The New Testament and People of God — A Study Guide for the ChurchThe following is a study guide that I wrote on NT Wright’s first book (NTPOG) of his grand multi-volume project titled, Christian Origins and the Question of God. Enjoy! Part One: Introduction Chapter One: Christian Origins and the New Testament Terms and Definitions Pre-Critical Approach — The pre-critical approach was the early modern method of biblical interpretation which regarded the authoritative nature of scripture…Bible43 min read
Published in Imago Dei Cafe·Mar 19, 2021The Truly Worth Poor*The following is a brief personal reflection on a vignette titled “The Truly Worthy Poor” from Robert Lupton’s book “Theirs is the Kingdom”. In 2 Corinthians 5:14–17, Paul presents the Corinthian church with a social perspective reconstituted by the cross of Jesus. For Paul, the event at the cross triggered…Social Justice2 min read
