The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Don’t bite and devour each other, or else you will end up destroying each other (Gal. 5:15), part 3 Our daughter Annie is spending most of this summer volunteering at an orphanage for special needs children. One early morning a few weeks ago I answered my...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Don’t bite and devour each other, or else you will end up destroying each other (Gal. 5:15), part 2 I have always been grateful that neither of our kids were biters. This is, of course, a good thing in and of itself. None of us is...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Encourage and build up each other (1 Thess. 5:11) When I read the apostolic writings of the New Testament, one of the most striking things that I find is a transcendentally positive pastoral tone to what the authors have to say. What is remarkable about this...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 7: And so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2b) (In which we continue our brief hiatus from the normal program to revel in even more theology) One of the best aspects of studying theology is that the Holy Spirit has authored an excellent book about...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 6: And so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2b) (In which we take a brief hiatus from our normal program to revel in a bit of theology) If I were Miss Judy from Romper Room* we could have a show of hands in response to...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 5: Bear each others’ burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2) A couple of weeks ago in my previous blog, we were sitting at table with Jesus, the Son of God, having our feet washed in a kind of act...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 3: Do not judge each other (Rom. 14:13) One of the hot-button topics of modern cultural discourse is diversity, aka inclusivity, aka identity politics. What you call it probably somewhat depends on what you think of it. My own opinion is that there’s quite a...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 2C: Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another (1Pet. 5:5b) Over the past couple of weeks, I have, perhaps rashly, taken a plunge into the vast sea of the virtue that the New Testament calls tapeinophrosúne, aka humility. After two blog posts, I still feel no...... Read More

Thoughts on the Beatitudes, Part 10: Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of God. To this point, every Beatitude that we have considered has opened for us a plethora of questions of lesser or greater complexity. This week’s verse is no different, except that I’m...... Read More

Thoughts on the Beatitudes, Part 9b: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Once upon a time there was a stunningly lame song, the chorus of which began, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” I am profoundly sorry to any of you who now...... Read More