In the Old Testament, Israel was to be guided by the lex talionis (Latin for “the law of retaliation”). In modern usage, we might know this as the principle of an eye for an eye. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,...
Geoff Ashley
The Sin of Pity
We love to smooth the “rough edges” of biblical revelation. To take what is beautiful in its complexity and to mass produce reductionistic, monolithic, and bite-sized maxims and cliches. We like to avoid theological tension, by watering down the word to some lowest...
Should a Christian be Buried or Cremated?
As I write this, I’m trying to learn to live with the heartache of my dad’s death last week. The past few days have been a blur: planning a funeral, writing an obituary, writing a funeral message to preach, looking through pictures (thousands given that my dad was a...
What’s the Gossip?
We love being in the know. To hear the latest rumor, to take a sip of gossip, to delight in the scuttlebutt, to drink deeply of the local buzz. Like a favorite snack, such whispered words fill us with pleasure (Proverbs 18:8). Gossip adorns the magazines that line the...
The Majesty and Mystery of Theological Tension
When I was around 4 years old, I fell off some playground equipment and landed about 6 feet below right onto my head. As a result, I got a few nights in the infirmary, a serious concussion, and the opportunity to try hospital broccoli for the first time. I fell...
Should I Attend an LGBTQ+ “Wedding”?
Each new generation faces new challenges in attempting to apply the word of God to the complexities of our day. In the 1st century, the decisive difficulty du jour was how to understand the Mosaic Law and regulations like circumcision in light of the New Covenant. In...
Why, When, and How Should I Leave a Church?
Disclaimer: This will be a longer blog as the nature of the question demands a longer answer. Some questions are too important to pass over quickly. Understanding the arguments set forth herein will depend upon the presupposition of the importance and imperative of...
Calvin Killed a Man
This week, October 27, marks the 470th anniversary of the execution of Michael Servetus for the crime of heresy. Given that this occurred within Geneva, the home of the Reformer, John Calvin, with his knowledge and consent, many have perceived this incident as a mark...
Is polygamy permissible?
In 1882, the Edmunds Acts effectively outlawed polygamy in the United States and other federal territories. However, with the recent redefinition of marriage to include same sex unions, the practice of polygamy is seeing a resurgence. Such a rebirth was both...