Issue
Holy War?
Vol. 23, No. 1 • Jan/Feb 2014
Several years ago, when a friend recommended the television show 24, I went to my local video store (back in the day when there was such a thing) and found the relevant section. I noticed that the first few episodes were checked out, so I grabbed an episode halfway through the first season in order […]
All Articles (16)
The Gospel According to Joshua
Several years ago, when a friend recommended the television show 24, I went to my local video store (back in the day when there was such a thing) and found the relevant section. I noticed that the first few episodes were checked out, so I grabbed an episode halfway through the first season in order […]
Christendom
From Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the “earth” as it was then known, the gospel went forth in the early decades and centuries of the new millennium, and daily many were added to the community of saints. From the perspective of the Roman Empire, Christianity went from a persecuted movement on the fringe of […]
Holy War in Joshua: Texts of Terror?
Addressing over a thousand Israeli school children, University of Tel Aviv professor George Tamarin told a story of “General Lin.” Using religion as a pretext for “ethnic cleansing,” the general, who presided over the Chinese kingdom three millennia ago, ordered a massacre of men, women, and children throughout China. When asked for their response, only […]
How was the Land Divided?
A Canaanite Genocide?
To modern readers, there is an ethical problem with the biblical commands found at various points in the Old Testament to wipe out the Canaanites. Why would Israel’s God, the God of Jesus Christ, order his own people to kill another people group’even a sinful people’in order to take their land? Several factors can help […]
Divide and Conquer
Ethics and Culture
Explore All
Reacting to Viral Dechurching & Exvangelical Stories
“Here’s what I love about Jesus. Jesus actually knows that the church is broken and imperfect and falls short. But the difference between us and Jesus is we see that and we use that as a justification to abandon the church. Jesus sees the church, as broken as she is, and on the way as […]
Nine of the Most Notorious Heretics
The word heresy is closely associated with the idea of schism, breaking off from the church, and theologians have made a distinction between formal and material heresy. Formal heresy is a stubborn denial of vital Christian doctrine—those who have heard the truth and then rejected it. Material heresy is what happens when a person embraces a false doctrine out of ignorance.
Why Poor Stewardship of the Body Can Be an Act of Unfaithfulness
The beautiful thing about this [sixth commandment] requirement is that it highlights that God cares about you. He cares about your body. He knows you’re made of dust. He knows that we need a good night of rest. We don’t have to feel guilty for getting it. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead shows […]
Imputed Righteousness and Self-Made Identity: The Crisis of Justification in Our Church Culture
This presentation analyzes the crisis of justification in today’s church, tracing its biblical foundations, reformational clarity, and modern challenges.
