Author Archives: rjs5

The Servant of the Lord

Posted on June 23, 2020

Several months ago I started a series on the recent book by Ben Witherington III, Isaiah Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics. It has been a rather interesting time since the last post on the book, and I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Isaiah | Tagged

Seven Last Words of the Unarmed

Posted on June 9, 2020

Several years ago, while reading David N. Livingstone’s book Adam’s Ancestors I wrote a piece entitled Father, Forgive Us. While Christian history includes many honorable incidents, many Christians viewed the abolition of slavery as a mandate of their faith, our … Continue reading →

Posted in Public Issues

When Science Meets Biblical Studies

Posted on June 4, 2020

The Dead Sea Scrolls offer a treasure trove of information. They inform our reading of Scripture in many ways. They provide testimony to the antiquity and reliability of many texts in our Bibles and on the political and cultural climate … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible | Tagged

The Lord’s Day

Posted on June 2, 2020

The final chapter of Michael LeFebvre’s The Liturgy of Creation sums up his argument that the creation story is primarily a calendar narrative guiding human work, rest, and worship. He runs through the negative side effects of the modern obsession … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Life, Genesis | Tagged | 3 Comments

A Day of Rest?

Posted on May 26, 2020

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28 Michael LeFebvre, (The Liturgy of Creation) sees the culmination of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Genesis | Tagged

Ordered and Now Populated

Posted on May 19, 2020

In days one to three the creation, originally formless and void, was ordered for fruitfulness culminating in the sprouting of vegetation – both grasses and trees. Now it is populated to fulfill God’s purpose. Michael LeFebvre (The Liturgy of Creation) … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Genesis | Tagged

Ordered for Fruitfulness

Posted on May 12, 2020

These texts were written to guide the common worshiper in weekly life, not to plant “bread crumbs” for scientific researchers. (p. 149) The overarching argument of Michael LeFebvre’s recent book The Liturgy of Creation is summarized by the above quote. … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Genesis | Tagged

Follow the Plot

Posted on May 5, 2020

The creation week of Genesis 1-2:3 is a culturally situated historical calendar narrative designed to lead God’s people in God’s ways. So argues Michael LeFevre in his recent book, The Liturgy of Creation. Many people, both Christians and Jews, have … Continue reading →

Posted in Genesis | Tagged

Thinking About God When the World Goes Crazy

Posted on April 28, 2020

Tremper Longman III and John Walton teamed up to write short book How to Read Job. This book is a useful guide to reading Job – raising as many questions as it answers – and a lot shorter and more … Continue reading →

Posted in Job | Tagged ,

Days of Creation: Occurrence or Observance?

Posted on April 23, 2020

Now we get to the central hypothesis of Michael LeFebvre in his book, The Liturgy of Creation. The creation week of Genesis 1-2:3 is a culturally situated historical calendar narrative designed to lead God’s people in God’s ways. LeFebvre writes: … Continue reading →

Posted in Genesis | Tagged | 2 Comments