Three Lenses for Reading Paul: Conflict, Culture, and Covenant
This one is kinda nerdy and a little long but if you've heard the term The New Perspective on Paul you might be wondering what this is all about. So here's a quick breakdown of some of the major schools of interpretation when it comes to Paul and where the New Perspective fits.
After Evangelical: Reclaiming the Gospel in a New Era
Evangelical is a word that has gotten a lot of press lately. The tough part is, Evangelical can mean a lot of different things depending on who you're talking to. So let's walk through the three major eras of Evangelicalism from 19th Century Europe to early 20th Century America to today, and why churches like Commons need to figure out what church looks like after Evangelicalism.
You Are Loved: The Cycle of Grace
We all know we're saved by grace but the truth is we are also changed by grace. Knowing ourselves as God knows us, as loved and welcomed and forgiven is the only thing that can actually transform us. And not understanding that is the root of all sin.
Clobber Verses and Cultural Constructs
The word "homosexual" doesn't enter the conversation until the 19th century in Germany and isn't used regularly until the 20th century in English. Before that, homosexuality wasn't considered part of someone's identity simply, a thing one might do. Which is why it doesn't enter the translations until around that time. Instead "boy molester" was probably considered a more pressing "sin" culturally to fit the term arsenekotais which is literally "man-bed".
Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Knowing the Difference
Even though forgiveness and reconciliation and deeply intertwined they are two different steps in our lives.