Tag: Difficult Texts

  • Videos on the Portrayal of God in the Hebrew Bible

    Don’t know how I allowed myself to get scooped on this because I was very interested in this conference when I first heard about it and wished I could have attended.  At any rate, here is a link to a conference held at Notre Dame University entitled “My Ways are Not Your Ways.”  The conference…

  • Ezra 9-10 – The Context of Today's Reading Makes it a Tough One

    Today’s lectionary reading is definitely part of one of my least favorite Old Testament passages.  If you heard the passage from the lectionary you probably would wonder why.  The reading is Ezra 9.5-9, which reads as follows: At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle…

  • Terence E. Fretheim on God and Violence in the Old Testament

    HERE is a link to a helpful article by Terence E. Fretheim in Word and World (Vo1. 24.1, 2004) on “God and Violence in the Old Testament.”  I will try to summarize Fretheim’s points the best that I can: Violence is both an Old Testament and New Testament phenomenon.  I recommend checking out the footnotes…