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Great Christian Thinkers - 65 St. Thomas Aquinas
Great Christian Thinkers - 65 St. Thomas Aquinas
by SPCK - Pope Benedict XVI
St. Thomas Aquinas His Life and Context We continue our meditation on some of the great thinkers of the Middle Ages. We recently looked at the great figure of St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan, and here I discuss the one whom the Church calls the Doctor Communis, namely, St. Thomas A…
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 1e What are the Gospels?
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 1e What are the Gospels?
by SPCK - Edward Adams
What are the Gospels? We have not yet addressed the question, What kind of texts are the Gospels? To what genre do they belong? A genre is a specific category or type of literature, such as romance, science fiction, or detective story. Knowing the genre of a piece of literature c…
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 2c The Shared Story in the Four Gospels
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 2c The Shared Story in the Four Gospels
by SPCK - Edward Adams
The Shared Story in the Four Gospels Using the elements of story listed earlier, we can identify a core story embodied in all four Gospels. There is a common series of events: the appearance and ministry of John the Baptist, the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus, the call of the f…
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 3 The Gospel according to Mark
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 3 The Gospel according to Mark
by SPCK - Edward Adams
The Gospel according to Mark Of the four New Testament Gospels, Mark is the one that most obviously manifests the shared story we have identified. It is also the Gospel that most closely corresponds to the outline of the gospel message given in Acts 10:36–43:1 Mark’s Gospel begin…
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 3d The Characterization of the Disciples
Parallel Lives of Jesus - 3d The Characterization of the Disciples
by SPCK - Edward Adams
The Characterization of the Disciples As noted in chapter 2, all the evangelists portray the disciples with conflicting traits. While Mark acknowledges the positive features of the disciples (they are called, commissioned, made privy to the mystery of the kingdom, etc.), he accen…
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 - 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