We at EDN are in a period of reflection and contemplation for the important season of Christmas. Our attention will be on raising certain questions that we invite you to comment on. We will return to our series probing controversial issues on January 4th.
TODAY’S QUESTION: Which story surrounding the birth of Jesus in the Gospels most informs the meaning of Christmas for you?
by Herold Weiss Parents can be quite surprised when they find out that a child of theirs did some horrendous thing. They had constant personal, objective interactions with their child, but one day out of the blue, as they see it, they discover that they did not know at all who this child of…
by Bob MacDonald What can I assume when I say introduction? I have met many who do a double take when I say the word Psalter. What is the Psalter? The Psalter is a set of 150 poems that were created between 2200 and 3000 years ago, and collected between 2200 and 2500 years ago….
by Bruce Epperly One of the great joys for many parents is the day that they become grandparents. Grandparenting gives us a fresh start, and the opportunity to nurture new life, usually without the obligations of day to day care. My wife Kate and I looked forward to grandparenting, and we have been blessed…
by Rev. Dr. Robert R. LaRochelle [ene_ptp]At my church, as at most, I would suppose, we offer a regular program of adult education. Over the course of time, I have led sessions on a variety of topics ranging from social issues to hot topics in the modern church ( e.g. same sex marriage, the death…
by Kent Ira Groff “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” Extremists abuse this exclusive-sounding text to kill or convert people against their will. Yet I want to show how this text about the “only way” and “many rooms” in John 14:1-6…
by Allan R. Bevere Several years ago, I was in Cuba on a teaching mission. One afternoon, during some free time, our hosts took us to a mountain on the Isle of Youth. There was a path up the side of the mountain, and those of us who were able and willing, were invited…
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It may seem odd, but for me it is probably the story of the flight into Egypt, complete with the problematic quotation of Hosea 11:1 as a prophecy, which, in context, it clearly is not.
The reason the story is so meaningful to me, however, is that through it and that very problematic quotation, Matthew links this saving act with God’s saving acts in the history of Israel. It is not a sudden change in who God is or how God acts. Rather, it is an act of salvation by One for whom that is the norm.
It also highlights God’s persistence. Hosea 11 is actually somewhat of an indictment of Israel. Yet throughout Israel’s history, God doesn’t give up.
Perhaps we can hope that in spite of our many failings, God is not yet done with us. God’s saving work continues!
For me, it is the angelic announcement to the shepherds. Not only did God bypass Rome for Bethlehem, but God ignored the imperial court in favor of the lowliest folk in the most despised province of the empire. Coupled with Mary’s Song in Luke 1, we see a God who works for justice in an unjust world.
BTW, Henry–this is my idea of what salvation is all about; a thorough “this-worldy” cleanup of oppression so that humans may one day live in shalom.
That’s a good point. I’m really looking at this material with my plans to restart my eschatology series in January. The impact of one’s view of eschatology can be interesting!