Dr. Kenneth Cuffey Mary from Magdala: first witness of the resurrected Jesus on Easter Sunday, fellow traveler with the 12, financial supporter of the 12, present at the cross and at the tomb. One of the more puzzling characters around Jesus in the gospels is Mary Magdalene. Clearly she was important, even pivotal in her…
By Dr. Melody Green In his autobiography Surprised by Joy, C. S. Lewis describes how, when he was a young atheist, he read a book that he described as having “baptized my imagination.” That book was Phantastes, a fantasy novel written by the Victorian Scottish author, pastor and poet George MacDonald. Later, Lewis explains that…
By Lawson Lau Long before the concept of freedom of speech made its way into the consciousness of the Western world, China practiced it during the Golden Age of Chinese Thought (770-221 B.C.). In the centuries-long ferment of contrasting viewpoints, Chinese philosophers or thinkers maintained that humans are born good and are perfectible (Confucius &…
By Dr. Peter Spychalla The religious poet, a worshipper of Israel’s God, YHWH, exclaimed, “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (Psalm 119:97). Biblical authors commend, through command and example, sustained reflection on God, His character, His works, His ways, His plans, and His instruction as revealed in the…
Blessed are the meek? Blessed are the peacemakers? by Peter D. Spychalla, Ph.D., D.Min. Assistant Professor of New Testament & Spiritual Formation The speech of a first-century Jewish prophet arrests me: “blessed are the meek, . . . blessed are the peacemakers.” It puzzles, intrigues. How can this be? What could he possibly mean? Why…
