Theology

“We have to follow the law. Romans 13 is clear.” I’ve heard this argument countless times in discussions about immigration policy. Christians who would never dream of treating immigrants with personal cruelty nevertheless defend harsh enforcement policies by appealing to Paul’s command to submit to governing authorities. The logic seems airtight: God established governments, governments make laws, therefore Christians must support strict immigration enforcement. Case closed. But what if we’re reading Romans 13 in isolation from the rest of Scripture’s witness? What if Paul’s instruction to the Roman Christians needs to be held in tension with Jesus’ own teaching about how we will be judged? ...

“My Kingdom is Not of This World” – Jesus These words of Christ echo with renewed urgency today as American evangelicalism grapples with a dangerous conflation of gospel and nation. Theologian Michael Gorman recently shared ten theological affirmations that cut to the heart of this crisis. His theses aren’t merely academic observations, they’re prophetic warnings against a distortion of Christianity that threatens both the integrity of the gospel and the witness of the church. ...

Tired of hearing Christians go nuclear over a verse in Revelation or a line from Genesis? Me too. We can do better. (Note: I’ve frequently failed at this myself, so consider this a reminder for me as much as for you.) Here’s how to have a theological argument without losing your cool — or your brother or sister in Christ. 1. The Problem: Why Most Theological Arguments Go Sideways Most bad theological arguments have the same ingredients: ...

According to David Gushee in After Evangelicalism, “Christian humanism” basically means “orienting our lives by a version of Christian faith that is compassionately realistic about the human condition, reflects the best of human knowledge, and enables all kinds of human beings to truly flourish. It’s humane and for human well-being.” If this is the case, then the opposite of Christian humanism might be called Christian misanthropy (misanthropy: “a hatred or distrust of humankind”). ...

No kings, save One, the King of Kings, whose kingdom peace and justice brings. No kings, but He who blessed the poor, and binds their wounds forevermore. No kings, except the Crucified, who, on a tyrant’s cross, died – No kings! – to save the last, the least, and bring them to His wedding feast. No kings, save One, who wore a crown of bitter thorns upon His brow. No kings, but He who rose to save, to lift the outcasts from their grave. ...

“The Bible is clear…” “The Bible says…” “The Bible is for/against…” How often—especially within American evangelicalism—do these phrases become rhetorical battering rams for partisan talking points? Let’s be honest: the Bible is not a monolith. It is a library of ancient, inspired texts written across centuries, cultures, and genres. “What the Bible says” on any given topic often depends heavily on who’s reading, how they’re reading, and what they bring to the text. ...

With fascism on the rise in the United States of America and around the world, and with many so-called “Christians” gladly supporting the rise of the far-right and attributing it to the will of God, I was struck by these words from Ephesians 5 (which were assigned as one of the readings for Morning Prayer today). Ephesians 5:11-14 (New Living Translation, NLT) 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, ...

You Can’t Follow Jesus and Hate Immigrants You can’t follow Jesus and hate immigrants. Of course, this does NOT settle every question of immigration policy! But, if you’re a follower of Jesus, consider your overall posture toward immigrants. If you call yourself a Christian, I want you to think about this seriously. What comes into your head and your heart when you think of immigrants and refugees? Fear? Anger? Disgust? ...

The relationship between Church and State, particularly the intersection of Christianity and politics, has been on my mind since I first started paying attention during the lead-up to the 2008 USA presidential election. Back then, I was just a high school student, but these themes have stuck with me ever since. (For those curious, here’s a quick timeline: In 2012, I was studying biblical studies in college. By 2016, I was a seminarian, and in 2020, I was working on my Ph.D. in theology. Now, in 2024, I’m a software engineer! Yet political theology continues to weigh on my mind.) ...

Sweater weather Losing weight with some help from Zepbound Football season (pulling for the Detroit Lions and the University of Michigan Wolverines) Harbor Freight coming out with version 2.0 of its “meme tool” – now with sockets! Hopefully out before the end of the year Reading The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story by Christopher and Richard Hays when it comes out next week Learning auto repair by working on my dad’s 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 (next up: replacing the governor pressure solenoid and sensor in the transmission, which will hopefully help with the truck getting stuck in low gear!) What are you excited about these days? ...

With Holy Week and Easter coming up, I’ve been thinking about music and artwork that I’ve found particularly poignant when reflection on the crucifixion and resurrection. First, I’ve seen many icons of the resurrection (“anastasis,” in Greek) like the one below. But I don’t think I fully appreciated the image until I realized it was Adam and Eve that Christ is helping up out of their graves. He’s trampled down the doors/gates of Hell and is taking an elderly Adam and an elderly Eve by the hand. Rescuing them from the realm of Death, in order to bring them back to eternal life with God. ...

You’ve probably heard of “the problem of evil” (if not, here’s an overview). But there’s a specific version/aspect of it that I find even more devastating. If God is omnipotent (all-powerful), ommniscient (all-knowing(, and omnibenevolent (completely good)… If the Church is God’s main plan for the redemption of humanity and the cosmos (consider the “body of Christ” paradigm in the New Testament)… If the gospel of Jesus Christ has had ~2K years to percolate in and through the Church… ...

The following are some of my opinions, held with varying levels of intensity, about church/churches. Note: These are geared toward Christian churches in the USA. Some would obviously also apply to churches elsewhere. But I haven’t nuanced this entire list for all global church contexts. Many churches in the USA are too “busy.” They are trying to do too many different things and should instead refocus on the church’s proper priorities (Word and Sacraments). ...

1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Isaiah 58:1–14 Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. ...

TL;DR: If you’re serious about biblical and theological studies, you should invest in Logos 10 Bible Software. Do so via my exclusive partner offer for Logos 10 here! If I could go back in time and chat with Joshua Steele when he was a Bible & Spanish major in college, there are a few things I’d tell my younger self: Quit laughing at How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler and READ the thing. Baba ghanoush is superior to hummus. Study computer science sooner rather than later. Bite the bullet and INVEST IN A LOGOS BIBLE SOFTWARE LIBRARY. Don’t get me wrong. I love physical books as much as anyone, and I own quite a few (hundred)! ...