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A common Christian definition of Grace is kindness that isn't deserved, a favor or boon despite who you are. This grace is far too limiting & exhibits a desire for control & authority. Grace is the antidote to shame. To say that grace is only undeserved kindness increases shame and perpetuates the illusion of a distant and angry God. it upholds the transactional nature of evangelical faith. In Hebrew, Khain means favor and grace. It is much more warm and inviting. Like the common non-religious use of the word, it should be about acceptance, invitation & hospitality. Khain is closely associated with Khesed God’s loyal & steadfast love. in that is bring someone into His fold of favor with loyal love. It doesn’t mean humiliation. It means invitation.

#grace #chesed #lovingkindness #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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The English Standard Version has become the favorite Bible for many Christians. Is it good? The honest answer is "sort of." It is basically the old Revised Standard Version with about 10% of it changed. Very good in a lot of ways and certainly better than your old King James Version, but it is also terrible in other ways. It is essentially a project against feminist influences and gender inclusivity. In some glaring ways it is malicious and misleading. I discuss the history of it and how it is like many reactionary translations before it. I use only 3 references for this podcast:

1. ESV Preface, www.esv.org/preface/ which is in every ESV Bible
2. Beth Allison Barr, "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the subjugation of women became gospel truth." Especially chapter 5 "Writing Women Out of the Bible", pp. 127-149.
3. "English Standard Version" Wikipedia article, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Standard_Version

#esv #bible #cbmw #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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Women are in leadership roles throughout scripture. From Miriam to Deborah in the Old Testament, to Mary Magdalene and Mary Mother of Jesus, to 18 different women mentioned by Paul. Deacons, Teachers, and Pastors for certain, likely also apostles. However, the patriarchal church has done so much to suppress the roles of women. I give the example of ESV suppressing Phoebe and Junia, in a clear effort to minimize their roles in Romans 16:1-7, even in the 21st century. It really shouldn't be a biblical controversy at all. But people regularly bring out 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12, but those passages fly in the face of all the others and are problematic in their interpretation. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 have the qualifications for bishops, saying they should be the Husband of One Wife, somehow as proof that women are excluded. However, as you see throughout the New Testament, Greek is a gendered language and must not be read as exclusion.

These are two great resources for learning more:
Nijay K. Gupta, "Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church"
www.MargMowczko.com

*Error: Please note that I said Psalm 31 instead of Proverbs 31.

#womenministers #womenpastors #phoebe #junia #priscilla #lydia #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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Whether LGBTQ relationships are sinful or acceptable is the hottest question in Christianity today. I would call it an obsession among Christians. It is all centered around 5 verses: 2 from Leviticus and 3 from Paul in the New Testament. There are several others often cited but these are the main 5 that speak directly about what appears to be homosexual behavior. They are often called the "clobberverses." Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:10. I will explain the exegesis and history for each of these. While these verses each describe homosexual activity, they are not about modern consensual relationships.

David Bentley Hart translates αρσενοκοιται as "men who couple with calamites." Catamite was a pubescent boy kept for sexual purposes in a pederastic manner.

*This is an improved version of a previously posted podcast.

#lgbtq #lgbt #lgbtqchristian #gaychurch #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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Hope is hard to come by when you are embattled. 1 Peter 3:13-16 was encouragement for persecuted Christians in the 1st century. Evangelical Christians are often taught to "be prepared to defend the faith." This feeds the persecution complex narrative that "the world", "secular humanism", the "forces of evil" are out to get them. Whether you know this verse or not, or you are Christian or not, this affects you greatly because it is the main narrative driving the political and social narrative of our day. Instead of aggressive apologetics, these verses are about the audacity of hope in the face of opposition. I was taught in ministry that to help one person move one step toward hope, away from fear, and to be more open then I have done my job for the day. That is why I am in ministry and most pastors I know are in the ministry. It is to help people find this hope.

#apologetics #evangelism #hope #evangelical #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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Reading the Old Testament is greatly enhanced by a simple but very important exegetical practice. Always ask: 1. Who is the author?, 2. Who is the audience?, 3. What is the purpose of the writing? Understanding the difference between Exegesis and Eisegesis is understanding the difference between biblical analysis and theology. I use the differences between the story of King Manasseh in Kings and Chronicles to show this is used. When you do this the scripture is far more interesting and enriching to read. I liken it to reading Shakespeare's history plays. A little time looking at the background greatly enhances your enjoyment of the plays.

#exegesis #eisegesis #biblestudy #oldtestament #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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Does the Bible get its authority from Inspiration or Inerrancy? The most frequently cited verse for this is 2 Tim 3:16. When you do a deep dive into the verse & its context, I don't think you can believe both. This is the major theological controversy in Christianity today: Is the Bible inerrant or not? I start with the scriptures and then I get into the ugly history and why even today it gets people so angry to talk about this.

#inerrancy #infallibility #inspiration #godbreathed #apologetics #bible #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa

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The completeness and wholeness of God is described in the concept of the Trinity. Like the Shema prayer spoken by many Jews daily, it has the sense of mind, body, and spirit. Christians see the mind, body, and spirit of God as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Rather than three beings, it is the wholeness of one being, just as humans are not separate mind, body, and spirit. I think this a very important Christmas message, because it is the incarnation of God that is the fulfillment of this wholeness of God. I mention Richard Rohr's "The Universal Christ" and I read the Shema from Deuteronomy in Hebrew. For you Hebrew readers, I apologize for pronouncing Echad like Echsar. I think I had Psalm 23:1 in mind, sorry, but I didn't want to re-record for that one mistake.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in Hebrew reads like:
Shema Israel Adonai Elohanu Adonai Echad, Veahavtah et Adonai Elohacha, Bachol Levavcah, oovachol Nafsheecah, oovachol Meohdicah.

JPS translates it as:
Hear, O Israel! The Lord your God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might.

#trinity #shema #incarnation #edmonds #edmondspres #pcusa