Jesus' parables — analogies that explain the Kingdom of God — are one of the hallmarks of his teaching. A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, and the pictures Jesus uses do much to open our minds to the nature of life with God. (Of course, as Jesus pointed out, if we … Continue reading Parables of the Kingdom
One of the most startling events in Christian history, and indeed one of the most game-changing events in Western history, was the Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity in the early fourth century. While the whole process of the "Christianization" of the Roman Empire took decades, Constantine's favoring of this once-despised sect set off a monumental … Continue reading “Not Like the Gentiles”: Empire vs. God’s Kingdom
We in the twenty-first century West — especially those of us with European ancestry — often bristle at the idea that Western culture can still be significantly understood as "Empire." Because we live in democratic societies, take our legal and political freedoms seriously, and, for the most part look back at the era of European … Continue reading Empire: A Brief History
Today's Gospel reading is the Parable of the Sower: God's Kingdom is described as a farmer who spreads seed over his lands. He does this abundantly, even wastefully, casting it onto the rocks and roadside as much as on his fields. It's a fascinating story because it presents a unique and perhaps surprising perspective on … Continue reading Working the Land (A Reflection on the Parable of the Sower)
Two thousand years ago, Jesus and his followers unleashed a strange new message into the world of the Roman Empire, which was nearing the apex of its power and authority. It was a world of large cosmopolitan cities and rural villages more-or-less untouched by the complications of 'modern' life. It was a world of unprecedented … Continue reading Empire Then and Now
