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Parallel Lives of Jesus - 8 The Feeding of the Five Thousand
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 8 The Feeding of the Five Thousand
by SPCK - Edward Adams
The Feeding of the Five Thousand The feeding of the five thousand is one of the most well-known of the miracles performed by Jesus and the only one that is recorded in all four Gospels.1 It is classed as a “nature miracle,” an action by which Jesus demonstrates his authority over…
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 7 Selected Parallel Episodes
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 7 Selected Parallel Episodes
by SPCK - Edward Adams
Selected Parallel Episodes Having considered each Gospel separately, we now bring the “parallel lives” of Jesus into contact with each other as we look at selected common episodes. The exercise will allow us to explore the unity and plurality of the Gospels in a more focused way,…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 4 Prelude
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 4 Prelude
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Prelude To begin this topic, a brief overview of the history of “rhetorical criticism” may be helpful. In 1969, in his presidential address to the Society of Biblical Literature, James Muilenburg issued a call for moving beyond form criticism to what he titled “rhetorical critici…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 7 The Wisdom and Power of God
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 7 The Wisdom and Power of God
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
The Wisdom and Power of God In the early centuries of the Christian church, as the Greek world became Christian, a group of scholars now called “the apologists” arose and took up the daunting task of relating the new Christian faith to their Greek intellectual heritage. Their tas…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 8 The Wisdom of God
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 8 The Wisdom of God
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
The Wisdom of God In review, the overall structure of Paul’s first essay is as follows: 1.1 Divisions in the Church (1:10-16) 1.2 The Wisdom and Power of God: Revealed Through the Cross (1:17–2:2) 1.3 The Wisdom of God: Revealed Through the Spirit (2:3-16) 1.4 Christian Unity (3:…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 5 (0.1) Greeting and Prayer of Thanksgiving
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 5 (0.1) Greeting and Prayer of Thanksgiving
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Greeting and Prayer of Thanksgiving Paul’s letter opens with an identification of the senders (Paul and Sosthenes) and the receivers (the Corinthians, and all Christians). He then offers his introductory prayer. These two sections are tied together by their rhetorical form and by…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - Christian Unity Paul, Apollos and Cephas as One (2) cntd.
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - Christian Unity Paul, Apollos and Cephas as One (2) cntd.
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Christian Unity Paul, Apollos and Cephas as One Paul now describes himself as a “master builder.” A good master builder can exercise his or her authority by becoming a servant. In fact, that authority, when exercised through servanthood, is in a marvellous way profoundly attracti…
the historical character of Jesus - 2e Jesus the Baptist?
the historical character of Jesus - 2e Jesus the Baptist?
by SPCK - David Allen
Jesus the Baptist? If Peter’s healing is partly about the continuation of what Jesus of Nazareth had begun, then one might ask the same question regarding baptismal practice. The first thing that Peter requires in the aftermath of the gift of the Spirit is that his hearers repent…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 15 Three Roadblocks
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 15 Three Roadblocks
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Essay 2 Sex Three Roadblocks In the previous section of the essay (2.1) Paul cut the Gordian knot. He told the Corinthians to remove the offender from the fellowship of the church. Here he discusses head-on three aspects of this case of incest that must be dealt with. These are n…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 18 Sexual Practice in Harmony with the Gospel
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 18 Sexual Practice in Harmony with the Gospel
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Sexual Practice in Harmony with the Gospel By way of review, the bare bones of this second essay are: 2.1. Immorality and the Church (4:17–5:6a) 2.2. (Three Roadblocks: Leaven, Immorality and the Law Courts) (5:6b–6:8) 2.3. Theology of Sexual Practice: Kingdom Ethics (6:9-12) 2.4…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 20 Paul’s Personal Freedom and Responsibility
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 20 Paul’s Personal Freedom and Responsibility
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Paul’s Personal Freedom and Responsibility In the previous section (8:1-13) Paul presses home two points in his discussion of food offered to idols: (1) You know idols do not exist. Therefore, you have the freedom and right to eat idol food. (2) Your responsibility to love other …
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 21 Freedom in Mission Full Identification
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 21 Freedom in Mission Full Identification
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Freedom in Mission Full Identification Paul has now come to the centre of his third essay, which is on the subject of how a Christian can live in a pagan society. “Freedom and responsibility” continue to be the overall focus… Taken from Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes by Kenneth …
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 24 Food Offered to Idols
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 24 Food Offered to Idols
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Food Offered to Idols Freedom and Responsibility (A Final Word) The text of Paul’s final homily in this third essay is displayed in figure 3.6(1). Paul opened this essay with a discussion of food offered to idols, and following the pattern he established in the first two essays, …
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 27 Gifts and the Nature of the Body
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 27 Gifts and the Nature of the Body
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Gifts and the Nature of the Body In this homily, 12:1-30, Paul discusses the third problem related to worship covered in this essay [see fig. 4.3(1)]. In review, the three are: Male and female prophets leading in worship and how they should dress (11:2-16). Gross irregularities a…
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 29 Spiritual Gifts and the Upbuilding of the Body
Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes - 29 Spiritual Gifts and the Upbuilding of the Body
by SPCK-Kenneth E. Bailey
Spiritual Gifts and the Upbuilding of the Body Paul includes two homilies (14:1-12, 13-25) in this section of the larger essay and displays the text of the first of the two. Taken from Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey
Letters to London - A friendship to be grateful for: Bonhoeffer’s letters to Ernst Cromwell
Letters to London - A friendship to be grateful for: Bonhoeffer’s letters to Ernst Cromwell
by SPCK - Stephen J.Plant and Toni Burrowes-Cromwell
A friendship to be grateful for: Bonhoeffer’s letters to Ernst Cromwell That I got to know your father and mother and all of you has become very important to me, especially in these times…
The Minister as Entrepreneur - 11 “A visionary who, in partnership with… others”
The Minister as Entrepreneur - 11 “A visionary who, in partnership with… others”
by SPCK - Michael Volland
“A visionary who, in partnership with… others” A visionary is someone who thinks about the future with imagination and wisdom. Visionaries have original ideas about what the future could be like; they are able to conceive of an alternative reality in which things are better for m…
The Minister as Entrepreneur - 15 Feeling positive about entrepreneurs in Christian ministry