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Evangelical

2024-12-18T08:58:07-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Secret

Last updated on: December 18, 2024 at 8:58 am By Ben Witherington

THE SECRET Hidden reality Like life in the womb Hidden reality Like death in the tomb Hidden away For the appropriate day Wrapped in enigma, cloaked in secrecy, Awaiting a wake up call with urgency. But how shall such a song be sung? A tale that’s never told, A trail that’s long gone cold, A mystery unrevealed, A truth that is concealed, Seems useless on first glance. Who said there was a secret, Who told us... Read more

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The One who keeps his Secrets

2024-12-18T08:52:09-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mother Load

Last updated on: December 18, 2024 at 8:52 am By Ben Witherington

MOTHER LOAD From the very beginning The burden was clear Sometimes bearable Sometimes severe Ate from the apple Shared it with him Disobeyed the order Indulged the whim. What was the outcome? The fruit of the act? She ‘knew’ good and evil? She experienced it in fact? Did the earth creature join her? Did he crumble into dust? Did he die in an instant? Or just tumble into lust? To love and to cherish Becomes ‘desire and dominate’... Read more

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The bearable birth

2024-12-18T08:46:49-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Incognito

Last updated on: December 18, 2024 at 8:46 am By Ben Witherington

INCOGNITO He came in incognito, A thinly veiled disguise The not so subtle son of man, A human with God’s eyes. The messianic secret, Left many unawares A God had walked upon the earth And shared our human cares. We did not see his glory, At least not at first glimpse, It took an Easter wake up call, Before it all made sense. The truth of Incarnation, Of dwelling within flesh, Shows goodness in creation, And... Read more

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Hiding in plain sight

2024-12-18T08:44:54-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Creatures of Habit

Last updated on: December 18, 2024 at 8:44 am By Ben Witherington

CREATURES OF HABIT Creatures of habit, Day after day Go about life, The same old way. Nothing disturbs Their orderly routine All must be neat, And all must be clean. They’re making their lists And checking them twice, Trying to make sure Their work will suffice. Impatient by nature They don’t suffer fools Gladly or otherwise Because of the rules. A place for everything For all there’s a place Don’t touch the guest towels But... Read more

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Are habits bad?

2024-12-18T08:33:33-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Difference Can a Literal Translation Make– Part Five

Last updated on: December 18, 2024 at 8:33 am By Ben Witherington

Chapter 5 begins with a lengthy genealogy with this preamble, or re-run– “This is the book/scroll of the lineage of Adam: On the day God created the human in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them, and he blessed them and called their name humankind on the day they were created. And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and he begot in his likeness by his image and called his name Seth. The... Read more

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the pain of our hands

2024-12-17T11:27:11-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Slaughter of the Innocents Continues

Last updated on: December 17, 2024 at 11:27 am By Ben Witherington

I’m beyond sick and tired of reading about our innocent kids being murdered in schools, and in various cases by teens who had a legal right to carry a gun. This Mennonite had this message for Congress—- i.e. PASS A DECENT LAW PROHIBITING THE SALE OF MILITARY OR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, ESPECIALLY TO ANYONE UNDER 30. Other countries that are far more civilized than our, have such laws and they are doing just fine. People still have hunting rifles or pistols... Read more

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A sign of the times

2024-12-18T08:39:53-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Bonding

Last updated on: December 18, 2024 at 8:39 am By Ben Witherington

THE BONDING A cold and listless season, And full of cheerless cheer, When hopes are raised and dashed again And joy dissolves in tears. The search for endless family The search for one true Friend Leaves questers tired, disconsolate With questions without end. Best find some potent pleasure quick Some superficial thrill Than search for everlasting love When none can fill that bill. So hide yourselves in shopping And eating ‘til you burst, Use endless... Read more

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Bless be the tie...

2024-12-20T08:39:55-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Difference Can a Literal Translation Make–Part 4

Last updated on: December 20, 2024 at 8:39 am By Ben Witherington

It is only at the beginning of Gen. 4 that we hear that ‘the human knew Eve, his woman, and she conceived and bore Cain, and she said “I have got me a man with the Lord”, and she bore as well his brother Abel.’ Most readers of the Bible will recognize the translation of the Hebrew term for having sexual intercourse as ‘to know’ implying sexual intimacy. Usually this term has a positive connotation but sometimes it refers... Read more

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What a tangled web we sinners weave?

2024-12-20T08:37:03-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Difference Can a Literal Translation Make–Part 3

Last updated on: December 20, 2024 at 8:37 am By Ben Witherington

Gen. 3 begins with a bang by telling us that the serpent is most cunning of all the beasts of the field. Here Alter points out that the proper translation of what the snake said to the woman is as follows: “Though God said, you shall not eat from any tree of the garden…” and in the Hebrew it is an incomplete sentence cut off by the woman interrupting, and indeed it is a false statement by the snake. The... Read more

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and its consequences

The story of sin

2024-12-16T08:18:06-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Difference Can a Literal Translation Make–Part 2

Last updated on: December 16, 2024 at 8:18 am By Ben Witherington

Certainly two of the more crucial chapters in the whole OT are Gen. 2-3. Here we will deal just with Gen. 2, and save Gen. 3 for the next post. Whole theologies of sin and human fallenness are built on certain readings of these chapters, and sometimes not even the right questions are asked of these texts. For example, if Adam and Eve are created immortal and lose that by sinning, why was there already a tree of life in... Read more

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Who can share a one flesh union?

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