Author Archives: Brian LePort
Birth in the Shadow of Death.
This week two different co-workers announced to our office that they are pregnant. I have never had the experience of expecting to be a parent. I imagine that it is a mixture of joy, anticipation, anxiety, and doubt. We sense a deep responsibility as humans for our infants. We know their survival, well-being, health, security, [...]
Lent in the Shadow of Death.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent. It is on this day that we Christians prepare for forty days of prayer, fasting, repentance, meditate, giving, and discipline. It leads us to Good Friday when we are confronted with the death of our Lord, Jesus Christ. On Ash Wednesday we traditionally have the [...]
Pagan this, pagan that.
Inevitably on various Christian holy days like Lent, Christmas, and even Easter you’ll find some misguided soul pontificating about the “pagan origins” of this or that holiday. I try to ignore them, but it is frustrating none the less. Often said people think of themselves as participating in a form of Christianity that is void [...]
The picture of the “Markan fragment” seems like a fraud.
If you’ve been following the discussion regarding the “Markan fragment” that is supposed to be from the first century you know that a picture has begun circulating that is said to be of the fragment. At first glance it seems like a fraud. There have been a couple comments on this blog that have been [...]
The earliest Markan manuscript fragment?
This is the picture circulating the blogosphere of what is supposed to be the earliest manuscript of the Gospel of Mark from the first century. James McGrath is withholding judgment, but he expresses skepticism. Tim Henderson is skeptical as well. John Byron has doubts. You’ll find this response is consistent. In the meantime we wait [...]
Film review: Higher Ground
Higher Ground (2011) ‘Higher Ground’ is Vera Farmiga’s debute as a director and you’re not likely to find many rookies who can tell a story this compelling. I admit that I was caught up in the narrative because it resonated with my own history, specifically as a Christian who entered the religion through Pentecostalism. Now [...]
The Pharisees.
In Jacob Neusner’s fine little book Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity he provides some valuable insights for those wanting to discuss the historical movement known as the Pharisees. He notes that we have three primary sources: the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus, the Christian Gospels telling the stories of Jesus, and “the law [...]
Elsewhere (02.18.2012)
(12) Timothy Dalrymple writes on “the art of blogging controversies.” (11) Marc Cortez advises on how to avoid post-graduate burn-out. (10) Luke Todd rethinks “calling”. (9) W. Travis McMaken juxtaposes Augustine and Ambrose. (8) Bobby Grow introduces William Ockham. (7) Peter Enns talks about modern people reading ancient texts. Also, he responds to Kevin DeYoung [...]
The great irony of the complementarian-egalitarian debate.
On Marc Cortez’s blog he posted a poll asking whether or not people align with the complementarian (there are some gender specific roles for women in the church) or egalitarian (there are no gender specific roles for women in the church) views (see here). The great irony of the complementarian-egalitarian debate is this: Often it [...]
Messiah the holy warrior.
Over the last year or so I have become interested in Jesus’ messianic identity as it relates to the Holy Spirit. Now we have places where the Apostle Paul speaks of Jesus as the Spirit-Giver, especially as it relates to the resurrection of the saints (e.g. Romans 8.1-17; 1 Corinthians 15.42-49). The Gospel of John [...]
Book review: Anthony Le Donne’s Historical Jesus.
Anthony Le Donne. Historical Jesus: What Can We Know and How Can We Know It? Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2011. Kindle Edition. Anthony Le Donne’s Historical Jesus is one of the finest short works I’ve read on historical Jesus studies, human memory, and historiography. Le Donne positions himself as a “postmodern historian” whose task is not [...]
The persecution of men and women in Acts 8.3, 9.2, and 22.4.
Larry Hurtado wrote a post today on “References to Women Christians in Acts” where he lists a few examples of the author intentionally mentioning the involvement of men and women. The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts are the most egalitarian portions of the New Testament (not just between genders, but ethnic groups, socio-economic groups, [...]
Review of Biblical Literature (02.14.2012)
The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature and listed on the RBL blog (http://rblnewsletter.blogspot.com/): Craig L. Blomberg, with Jennifer Foutz Markley A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8106 Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt John Drane Introducing the Old Testament http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8064 Reviewed by Jordan M. Scheetz Gregg Gardner [...]
Happy Valentine’s Day to my Beloved!
This will be my fifth Valentine’s Day with Miranda Jane Perez-LePort, three as a married couple (one dating, one engaged beforehand). Every year is more enjoyable and our relationship seems to be richer. There is no one in the world that I love more nor anyone with which I’d rather spend my days. My wife [...]
How people view students of theology.
HT: KEVIN BROWN.
AAR-SBL paper proposal accepted!
On Saturday I received an email from Dr. Kent Yinger of George Fox University informing me that my paper proposal was accepted for this years PNW AAR-SBL meeting. The title of the paper will be “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Disciples of John the Baptist? An Examination of Acts 19.1-7 as a Polemic Against the Remnant [...]
One step closer to finishing my thesis!
I turned in my thesis tonight after the second to final stage of editing. My readers have a week to browse over it one more time and let me know if I should change anything else then it is time to get with our librarian to begin the process of preparing it for print. Someday [...]
Whitney Houston, celebrity deaths, and the multitudes that perish.
When Michael Jackson died I was a bit surprised by the emotional responses of so many people. It baffled me to see how invested they were in someone many of them never met. My pietist side questioned their love for such an “idol”. Why didn’t they care about the man who died homeless in their [...]
Immigration laws harming the Latino church.
Will Willimon is a Bishop in the United Methodist Church. He has noticed a negative impact on Spanish language Methodist churches in Alabama ever since the law HB56 was implemented. He wrote a post to his people informing them of this sad news. This is the opening paragraph: “The fastest growing ethnic group in United Methodism [...]
Elsewhere (02.11.2012)
(10) Walter Brueggemann visited the Eerdmans Bookstore and gave a short talk. (9) Roger Olson asks if the “prosperity Gospel” is heresy. (8) Bobby Grow examines the “tw0-willed God” proposals of John Piper and Matt Chandler. (7) Kevin DeYoung provides ten reasons to affirm a historical Adam. James McGrath responds. T. Michael Law responds. (6) [...]
Agnosticism regarding the “earliest” fragment of the Gospel of Mark.
Dan Wallace has written another post on the rumored “earliest” fragment of the Gospel of Mark. While there are no additional details he does seem quite optimistic that further study of what could be “…a manuscript that is dated within the lifetime of many of the eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection! “ You can read his full [...]
The pastorate as a consolation prize (with some words from John Chrysostom)?
Yesterday I wrote, “Is the declining job market of academia good for the church?” in response to a posts written by Marc Cortez and Jim West (read the original post for links). I asked if it was a good thing that some people who hoped to be professors instead become pastors because they could not find a job [...]
Is the declining job market of academia good for the church?
I am a few months away from completing my Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree from Western Seminary in Portland, OR. I have a MA in Biblical and Theological Studies from the same institution and my undergraduate program majored in biblical studies. It has been my goal to begin doctoral work in 2013. I’ve done my [...]
Review of Biblical Literature (02.09.2012)
The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature and listed on the RBL blog (http://rblnewsletter.blogspot.com/): Michael Avioz “I Sat Alone”: Jeremiah among the Prophets http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7959 Reviewed by Jerry Hwang Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner The First Letter to the Corinthians http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7856 Reviewed by Korinna Zamfir Bruce N. Fisk [...]
John Walton’s seventh proposition on Genesis 1.
Thus far we have discussed the first six propositions on Genesis 1 set forth by John H. Walton (see proposition six here). The seventh proposition is this: “Divine rest is in a temple.” Walton argues that if Genesis 1 is an account of material origins then the seventh day is a “mystifying.” Why is God [...]
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Craig A. Evans’ new commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.
Amazon.com emailed me this morning to inform me that Craig A. Evans commentary on the Gospel of Matthew through the New Cambridge Bible Commentary series is available now. I had the opportunity to do some indexing for it so I’ve seen it before it went to print and I recommend it. Evans is a proven [...]