I chased them furiously. The two teenage boys crazily ran down the stairs as if they were being chased by a wolf. Being caught finally, the younger one cried, “Bayram, bayram!” The older one gave up fleeing, stopped, and looked back in disbelief. Approaching me, he muttered the same thing, “Bayram, bayram.” I was too … Continue reading That Scary Middle-Aged Asian Man
Knowing God versus Knowing about God
"We come back, then, to where we started. The question is not whether we are good at theology or 'balanced' (horrible, self-conscious word!) in our approach to problems of Christian living. The question is, can we say, simply, honestly, not because we feel that as evangelicals we ought to, but because it is a plain … Continue reading Knowing God versus Knowing about God
Paul: Far Too Radical an Apostle
I have long been wondering about the word "Radical" in the label that refers to the group of scholars who do not allow Paul to be read outside Judaism, i.e., the so-called Radical New Perspective on Paul (or the Paul-within-Judaism Perspective). I think that the term "Radical" is a red herring because placing Paul back … Continue reading Paul: Far Too Radical an Apostle
García and Miralles, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life (2016)
García, Héctor, and Francesc Miralles. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. New York: Penguin, 2016. Hard Cover. 198 pages. $27.50. This is a book about an aspect of Japanese culture written by non-Japanese authors. Although one of them (García) does hold Japanese citizenship, this book is an interesting description of Japan … Continue reading García and Miralles, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life (2016)
Jewish Pride?
Recently I came across an interesting sermon by rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl at the Central Synagogue in New York city, titled “Jewish Pride: Live Up to Your Name” (preached on September 26, 2022). You can watch it below, or you can read the entire transcript here. https://youtu.be/wUGIztK1A_w The thesis of her sermon is this: Stop … Continue reading Jewish Pride?