This article examines two figures from the early twentieth century
beginnings of the Hebrew Israelite movement. Malinda Morris
was a central, though forgotten, figure in William Crowdy’s
Church of God and Saints of Christ but her creation of an
independent Church upon Crowdy’s death has not so far been
discussed. The strongest body of evi…[Read more]

This chapter explores the contribution of the Seventh-day Adventist theologian/preacher Ellen White to Black Theology by comparing her early 19th century work to the later writings of James Cone. An argument is put forward that White intuited many of the insights that Cone would later formulate, demonstrating both that White can be a valuable…[Read more]

An article that explores the theology of Sabbath keeping, and the biblical arguments for when God wishes his laws to be violated. A theology of the Sabbath, if it is to serve God’s desire in Scripture, must focus on the why of Sabbath, not the when. It cannot rely on arguments from authority or the Law as a cheap excuse for not engaging in a…[Read more]

A survey of Adventist church statements regarding church policy in the North American Division and World Church regarding Climate Change. It will be argued that unlike other policies the Adventist church supports, its statements on Climate Change lack the typical biblical support common for other initiatives and indicates a lack of spiritual…[Read more]

This short-form article explores the various presentations of “the Middle” within Valentinian authored documents (the Gospel of Truth and Gospel of Philip) and sources which report about the Valentinians (Irenaeus and his report about Ptolemy’s theology). It suggests underscores the deep distinctions each view has and suggests that these may be…[Read more]

Discussions about the history of the reception of the Apocrypha within Protestantism are often mired by blanket negative presumptions that differ markedly from the actual beliefs attested to in available historical sources. This chapter seeks to rectify such historical misrepresentations by presenting an initial attempt to summarize the entire…[Read more]

This essay seeks to introduce briefly the background and idea of what can be called a confrontational approach to theology. It will begin by outlining the biblical background of this often-ignored portrait and then will proceed to outline how this theological approach can breathe new life into various approaches toward God.

In this chapter, a biblical overview of the topic of doubt is provided, focused on the Gospel accounts. A theological argument is made for the necessity and contribution of doubt toward the process of faith.

Although bumper stickers abound that propose otherwise, the Bible itself reveals that just because “God says it,” does not, in fact, mean “that settles it.” On the contrary, a close reading of Scripture reveals that God does not want us to blindly obey him, but rather, invites us to “lock hands” with him and fight. The purpose of this book is to…[Read more]

This article re-analyses in detail the meaning of the expression ludi Graeci which appears in two of Cicero’s letters (Ad Fam. 7,1 and Ad Att. 15,5). A careful examination of the first instance reveals that ludi Graeci indeed referred to theatrical performances in Greek language and not merely to Latin plays that followed Greek models. A brief s…[Read more]

A priori, la mise en scène de représentations théâtrales semble bien éloignée d’autres types de spectacles plus violents organisés dans le monde romain, souvent à l’occasion de triomphes militaires. Toutefois, il convient de s’interroger sur l’éventuelle « violence culturelle » qui pourrait se cacher derrière l’organisation de jeux théâtraux gre…[Read more]

At Christmas, Christians celebrate that Jesus was born on December 25 as the son of God andthe Virgin Mary. But this event is not unique. In this article, I show that the birth of Jesus hasseveral non-Christian predecessors, whereby various elements of the ritual dynamics have beenChristianized and implemented into the figure we know today as Jesus Christ.

At Christmas, Christians celebrate that Jesus was born on December 25 as the son of God andthe Virgin Mary. But this event is not unique. In this article, I show that the birth of Jesus hasseveral non-Christian predecessors, whereby various elements of the ritual dynamics have beenChristianized and implemented into the figure we know today as Jesus Christ.

In comics: how ancient rabbis upend “traditional” ideas of reproduction, gender, and humanity. A blog post commissioned by UC Press Blog about the book When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven: Rabbis and the Reproduction of Species.

Link: htt…[Read more]

Review of “Shakespeare, Theology, and the Unstaged God” by Anthony D. Baker, “Great Stage of Fools: A Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays” by Peter J. Leithart, and “Shakeshafte & Other Plays” by Rowan Williams.

Review of “No Flesh Shall Glory: How the Bible Destroys the Foundations of Racism” by C. Herbert Oliver and “How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice” by Jemar Tisby.

Review essay of “Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents” by Rod Dreher and “Red Theology: On the Christian Communist Tradition” by Roland Boer.

Review essay of “Children of the Waters of Meribah: Black Liberation Theology, the Miriamic Tradition, and the Challenges of Twenty-First-Century Empire” by Allan Aubrey Boesak and “Evangelical Theologies of Liberation and Justice” edited by Mae Elsie Cannon and Andrea Smith.

Review essay of “Dare We Speak of Hope? Searching for a Language of Life in Faith and Politics” by Allan Aubrey Boesak, “Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology” by James K. A. Smith, and “Politics after Christendom: Political Theology in a Fractured World” by David VanDrunen.

Review essay of “Confessions” by Augustine, translated by Sarah Ruden and “On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts” by James K. A. Smith.