What is deviant? Deviant is anything that we deem, by our own standards of reality, not to fall into the category of “normal.” Cambridge Dictionary defines it as:
describes a person or behaviour that is not usual and is generally considered to be unacceptable.
Some past examples of deviancy in our society are: a woman voting, an [...]
Archive for the ‘Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies’ Category
Genesis 15:6 ~ Faith, Works, Justification & Vague Antecedents: Innerbiblical Exegesis, Interpretation, & Critique
Posted in Church - Theologizing, Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, Hebrew Bible, Theology, tagged Abraham Heschel, Abravanel, Augustine of Hippo, Ezekiel 36, Faith, Galations 3:6, Genesis 15:6, Inner-biblical exegesis, Inner-biblical interpretation, James, Jewish Interpretation, Jewish-Christian relations, Jon D. Levenson, Justification by faith, Lutheran Interpretation, Martin Luther, mishpat, Nachmanides, Nehemiah 9:8, Paul, Pelagianism, Pelagius, Reformation, Romans 4, salvation, soteriology, Terence E. Fretheim, Works on Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Justification by faith has been seen as one of the more prominent examples of ‘Christianizing’ the Hebrew Bible. To demonstrate this I would like to examine Genesis 15:6. Below I have cited several versions:
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. – NIV
And he believed the LORD, and he counted it [...]
From Anxiety and Greed to Milk and Honey
Posted in Biblical Ethics, Christianity in Context, Church - Theologizing, Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, Walter Brueggemann, tagged Biblical Economics, Faith, God and money, Recession, Sojourners, Walter Brueggemann on Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I started this blog amidst economic turmoil. My fourth post drawing upon work from Terence E. Fretheim, was directed towards biblical economics, focusing on mana from heaven and dependence on Yahweh as opposed to building up storehouses. Since then, the global economy has been engulfed in an economic downward spiral; some countries’ foundations severely shaken, [...]
Church Happenings in Tlalpan, Mexico City
Posted in Biblical Ethics, Church - Theologizing, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, Exodus, Mexico, Tlalpan Church Plant, tagged Church, Missions, Tlalpan on Monday, February 9th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Thus far into 2009 we can’t complain too much. Though work is still slow, we’re as busy as ever. My wife, Yuli, is now in her last semester of her master’s and will become increasingly preoccupied as she continues writing her thesis. And as soon as I finish this post I am going to start [...]
The Heart of Jonah
Posted in Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, tagged Bible Study, Jonah, nature of God, Nineveh, salvation on Friday, January 9th, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Jonah is a story about two hearts: one in pursuit of its own selfish interests, the other in pursuit of something Holy different. It is a story that takes us down into the depths of Sheol; into the abyss of a man’s withered heart, unable to accept the true nature of his God.
I see this [...]
Caught Between Black Friday & Advent
Posted in Church - Theologizing, Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, Religion and Society, tagged Advent, Black Friday, Isaiah on Saturday, November 29th, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
To be quite frank, this year is the first year that I am observing the liturgical seasons. As I come out of an evangelical Protestant denomination, I never participated in the celebration of church seasons.
Advent (derived from the Latin Adventus, meaning approaching) is the four-week season that anticipates Christmas and the coming of the Reign [...]
Thanksgiving & Inter-Faith Dialogue
Posted in Church - Theologizing, Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, Life, Religion and Society, tagged Inter-cultural, Inter-Faith dialogue, Inter-religious dialogue, John Kerry, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27th, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Today is a day to give thanks.
A brief history of the United States’ Thanksgiving tradition (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Grenada, Japan, Korea, Liberia, and Switzerland, among other countries have a national Thanksgiving holiday as well.):
The earliest thanksgiving occurred in Saint Augustine, Florida in 1565 (in 1541 a special Thanksgiving communion took place in modern day Texas). [...]
Pay it Backwards & Forwards
Posted in Devotional Thoughts & Bible Studies, tagged Coffee, Colorado, crisis, inspiration, John F. Kennedy, Starbucks on Friday, November 21st, 2008 | 1 Comment »
This week I was encouraged by an inspirational account coming out of Colorado. In the midst of economic turmoil, uneasiness, and a milieu of not-knowing, it is great to know that there’s still more than coffee going around that warms people’s hearts.
Watch the video to see what I’m referring to:
I challenge [...]

