Just in time for Pentecost Sunday, it's time to bring my historical survey about the Holy Spirit to a close with some theological affirmations and a call to action.
Awaiting the Spirit: A Call to Action
Commanded to Love: A Reflection on 1 John 5.1-6 and John 15.9-17
I come from a family that values simplicity. You might even say ‘Keep it simple, stupid’ was something of a family motto when I was growing up. So, as much as highly nuanced pieces of theology interest me, I have a soft spot for passages like those from today’s readings that go right to the … Continue reading Commanded to Love: A Reflection on 1 John 5.1-6 and John 15.9-17
Flock and Shepherd: A Reflection on John 10.11-18
One of my favourite things about John’s Gospel has always been the “I am” statements, the seven places where Jesus says (with an emphasis that’s hard to get across in English) “I am” followed by a big and illustrative metaphor: “I am the bread of life,” “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” … Continue reading Flock and Shepherd: A Reflection on John 10.11-18
Human Action, God’s Action: A Reflection on Acts 3.12-19
One of the most notorious problems in theology (and belief in God more generally) is what is known as theodicy: the question of how God can be good and just in a world such as ours. While God still may have a lot of answer for — earthquakes, hurricanes, famines, plagues and pandemics, and so … Continue reading Human Action, God’s Action: A Reflection on Acts 3.12-19
No More Rivals: A Reflection on John 20.19-31 and Acts 4.32-35
One of the most striking things about the post-Resurrection stories in the New Testament is how they go out of their way to show just how radical, and radically different, of a community the earliest Church sought to be. The clear fact that, by and large, Christians have completely failed to live that out over … Continue reading No More Rivals: A Reflection on John 20.19-31 and Acts 4.32-35
Matthew Root 