One of the most central, marked, and these days controversial aspects of Christianity is its proclamation of the forgiveness of sins. It is central in that Jesus preached about it a lot and Christianity would be unrecognizable without it, marked in that it’s not a common theme in world religions so it stands out, and … Continue reading Second Chances: A Reflection on John 20:19-31
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! These words are the core of the Christian proclamation. This is certainly true today, Easter Sunday, when we commemorate and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. But is not just true today. It is the core of the Christian proclamation in every moment, of every day. … Continue reading Manalive! A Reflection for Easter Sunday 2025
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
Alleluia! Christ is risen! Or is he? One could be forgiven for feeling a bit confused and let down by the Easter Gospel today, because this year, we get Mark’s telling of the resurrection, which is even less joyful or triumphant than the others. If John’s resurrection narrative reads like a buddy cop romp, with … Continue reading The Last Word: A Reflection for Easter Sunday 2024
There can be no doubt that Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus is, to put it plainly, weird. Rising from the dead is simply something that people don’t do. But more than that, the way the Gospels talk about Jesus after the resurrection is also weird: He can appear out of nowhere and walk … Continue reading Scars: A Reflection on John 20.19-31
Matthew Root 