December 15 - Hope Proclaimed

The blog is taking an unannounced vacation until after Christmas. Come back then, and in the meantime proclaim the hope and  Good News that is Jesus Christ!

December 8 - Hope Revealed

Theophilus - I mentioned that Theophilus could be a reference to a specific person or it could be a reference to all "beloved of God." There is some interesting information here.

Our reading this morning came from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) instead of the Common English Bible (CEB) that we usually use. The reading is much more familiar with the NRSV phrasing. The CEB uses "guest room" instead of "inn." Here's a blog that talks about why (note that it is referring  to a different version of the Bible but the use of "guest room" is the same. If you want more information on the question of where Jesus was born read this article.

I don't normally cite Wikipedia entries but this one on Augustus really is good.

December 1 - Hope Revisited

Throughout Advent we're referencing the artwork of John August Swanson. The works that we are looking at are guided by a study done in cooperation with Candler School of Theology, a United Methodist seminary affiliated with Emory University, A Thrill of Hope. You can always stop in on the Tuesday or Sunday studies, both at 6:30pm.

 For more on infant mortality in the first century look here. It's not a subject that I can find much research on.

More on Frederick Buechner and more on Thomas Merton, both of who were quoted in the message today.