Why Does the Historical Jesus Matter? The claims of Christianity are not about a god that exists beyond the world. We believe that God became human. Not abstractly human, but a specific human being. Because of this claim, we need to take seriously the historical existence of Jesus. There is evidence to support the claim …
Tag: history
A Theology of Immigration
We need a theology of immigration. This post is a stepping stone towards exploring what that could look like. Why is a Theology of Immigration Needed? This is an age of increasing nationalism, hatred, jingoism, wars, and economic strife. We need a reminder of the way of the Gospel. Jesus teaches us to love the …
Christianity Created Secularism
Christianity created the sacred-secular divide. Christianity created secularism. It is common to think that secularisation is the enemy of faith in general and Christianity in particular. People express concern about the end of a 'Christian nation'. They say that we are a 'Christian country'. They believe that secularism is destroying our 'shared Christian values.' However, …
What Are The Nephilim?
There is a strange little verse in Genesis that has resulted in all kinds of fantasy novels, films, and unfortunate attempts at theology. That is the story of the Nephilim. Much has been made about them, but the reality is somewhat more literary and less magical. The Nephilim are mentioned in three places in the …
William Booth Decides – Politics or Religion
There was a moment in William Booth's life when he was still a young man. This moment defined the rest of his life. If William Booth had chosen differently then the world would have been a very different place. He had to decide between becoming a political activist, or becoming an evangelist. The young Booth …
Continue reading William Booth Decides – Politics or Religion
Why William Booth Was Scared of Brengle
Why was William Booth scared of Brengle? This question reveals a culture of anti-education that existed win the Army for almost a hundred years. Samuel Logan Brengle is one of the most significant figures in Salvation Army theology. His writing inspired, and continues to inspire, Salvationist holiness theology around the world. He was famous as …
Will The Salvation Army Ever Have Gender Equality?
Yes, but only if it makes it happen. It will not happen naturally. If The Salvation Army is going to have gender equality it will need to choose to change things. The Salvation Army has a responsibility to do better with gender equality. Particularly for women in ministry. This is a theological imperative. The Army …
Continue reading Will The Salvation Army Ever Have Gender Equality?
Christians Can’t Be Patriots
Christians can't be patriots, and certainly can't be nationalists, because they always have a negotiated relationship with their state, country, and nation. They owe a higher allegiance to the Kingdom of God and the Lordship of Christ. This higher allegiance takes precedence over any other allegiance. Today, there are States, Countries, and Nations, which are …
Brass Bands Were Urban Street Music – The Working Class Culture of the Early Salvation Army
The use of brass bands by the early Salvation Army became an iconic part of its identity and public image. It is commonly known that the use of brass bands slowly developed in the Army in response to its need to have sufficient volume of music to be able to draw attention and cut through …
Who Am I? Unknowing Myself in a Dietrich Bonhoeffer Poem from Prison
We often feel pressure to know ourselves. We are told that one of the most important parts of our journey is discovering who we are, to find ourselves, to know our authentic self. I think this is by and large a waste of time. Instead of trying to find out our so-called authentic self, we …
Continue reading Who Am I? Unknowing Myself in a Dietrich Bonhoeffer Poem from Prison