This weekend I am presenting a paper on subordination: the idea that the Father is greater than the Son. Although this notion may seem obvious to many of us, it is little discussed in mainstream Christianity. I believe this angle may be the thin edge of the wedge to open up discussion on the Trinity Read more about The Father Is Greater Than I: Exploring Biblical Subordination[…]
This is our fifth and final example of bias in translation. After this episode, we’ll have one more to conclude our class on How We Got the Bible. Today our focus is God’s spirit. Should it have an uppercase ‘S’ or a lowercase ‘s?’ Should pronouns referring back to spirit be masculine (like “he”) or Read more about 352 Bible 23 – Spirit Who or Spirit Which? (Translating the Holy Spirit)[…]
Did Jesus claim to be “The Great I AM” in John 8.58? If not, what was he saying? In this episode we examine the alleged parallel passage in Exodus where God reveals his name to Moses at the burning bush. Next, we’ll explore texts with the same Greek construction that Jesus used in an effort Read more about 351 Bible 22 – Did Jesus Claim to Be the I AM? (Translating John 8.58)[…]
How should translators render the word προκσυνέω (proskuneo) into English? Since this word has a range of meanings from bowing as a sign of respect to worshiping God, translators sometimes decide what English words to use based more on their theological presuppositions than the grammar or textual context. For example, some translations (mostly those done Read more about 349 Bible 20 – Bow or Worship? (Translating Proskuneo)[…]
Last time we evaluated two popular single-translator Bibles: the Message and the Passion Translation. This time, we’re switching gears to consider committee-based versions. I want to shine a spotlight on the whole subject of bias in translation in an effort to point out what often goes unnoticed. We’ll consider both the committee effect that tends Read more about 347 Bible 18 – Bias in Bible Translation[…]
Last time we considered Jesus’ identity as God’s messiah. Today, we’ll look at a number of texts that are sometimes misunderstood to teach that Jesus is God. We’ll go through three classifications of verses: (1) those with manuscript issues, (2) those with translation issues, and (3) those with interpretation issues. Here is the breakdown. Manuscript Read more about Theology 12 – Challenging Jesus’ Humanity[…]
Kegan Chandler grew up as a bible-believing Christian in Texas. His grandfather, Pat E. Harrell, was a leader within Church of Christ who founded their Restoration Quarterly publication. As a result of his grandparents’ and parents’ passion for God, Chandler grew up in a family steeped in bible study and theological reflection. One day the Read more about Interview 8: A Restorationist Discovers the God of Jesus (Kegan Chandler)[…]
I presented this paper at the 2006 One God Seminar, hosted by Ken Westby and the Association for Christian Development[1] Introduction Trying to pin down a biblical definition for the word “spirit” is like trying to give a cat a shower—it can be done, but only with great difficulty, and one is never sure if Read more about A Unitarian View of the Holy Spirit[…]
by Sean Finnegan My Conundrum I entered the mammoth façade of my local Barnes and Noble and found my feet carrying me directly to the Christianity section. Once at my destination, I stood before the familiar shelves, half filled with what I call “real” books and the other half, “inspirational.” I cocked my head to Read more about Looking For the Historical Jesus between Evangelical and Liberal Scholarship[…]