I was recently watching a documentary series on Meso-American history; the cultures of this region are famed for their monumental architecture, their science, and for their penchant for human sacrifice. While the latter was no surprise to me as I watched this series, I was surprised by the scale of it. It’s hard to know … Continue reading An End to Sacrifice: A Reflection on Genesis 22.1-14
We’re now coming to the last section of the Creed, which shifts its attention from the nature of God to some basic things about the Christian life. Today, we’ll look at the Church, which the Creed calls “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.” Right off the mark, we have to say that this description is both … Continue reading In One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church
A recurring theme here on the blog over the years has been the idea that one of the major claims the first Christians made was that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, historically reserved for those with unique vocations of leadership, was now poured out richly upon the whole community of faith. But this is … Continue reading …Who Spoke by the Prophets
The other week, we looked once again at the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in, and faithfulness to, Jesus. It’s an idea that’s at the heart of Paul’s thinking and has inspired Christians for two thousand years. It has also, for two thousand years, been misunderstood as a license to do whatever we … Continue reading Paul on Grace and Sin: A Reflection on Romans 6.1-11
The Nicene Creed is, at least theoretically, one of the major forces that unifies Christians. But, as we will see today, its text has created as much division as it has resolved. Today I’m going to try, as best as I can, to summarize the controversy, which is about the relationships among the Trinity, its … Continue reading … Who Proceeds from the Father …
Matthew Root 