Last Sunday, we looked at Jesus’ controversial words that he was (and is) the way to the Father and “no one comes to the Father except through [him].” I proposed that these words were not about insisting that other ‘ways’ are false, but about comforting his disciples with the knowledge that they already know the … Continue reading Another Advocate, Another Coach: A Reflection on John 14.15-21
Back at the start of this series, we looked at two different types of story, myths and legends. We saw that myths are the foundational stories around which cultures understand themselves, and legends are traditional stories that reinforce those identities, while often explaining the origins of specific place names, customs, or beliefs. Today I’d like … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Folk Tales
Today, as we continue to work through this mini-series on genres of Wisdom literature in the bigger series on understanding biblical genres, I’m going to talk about proverbs, and specifically those found in the book of that name in the Bible: What they are, what they aren’t, and how we should approach them. Proverbs are … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Proverbs
Throughout most of Christian history, the Psalms were easily the most-read part of the Bible, read at every liturgical gathering and forming the basis of personal prayer. They have been called the Hymnbook of the People of God, and have marked the hours, days, and seasons for generations of monastics and other Christians. But, what … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Psalms
“No one comes to the Father except through me.” There are perhaps no words of Jesus more contentious today than these, which are found in today’s Gospel reading from John 14. For centuries now they have been used to justify Christians’ belief in their exclusive access to truth, salvation, and God. This in turn has … Continue reading The Way, The Truth, and the Life?: A Reflection on John 14.1-14
Matthew Root 