Biblical retribution has its passionate believers and its harsh critics. I don’t plan to resolve those tensions here (or anywhere). But I do offer some biblical insights that may challenge the traditional prejudices about retribution.
The “New Story Spokane Festival” runs May 19 – 20 at GU’s Hemmingson Center (702 E. Desmet Ave.) The two-day festival — which is set up as a sort of “banquet” for participants to consume information on these ideas — will feature speakers and breakout sessions on a variety of topics that include sustainable agriculture, ecological restoration, green building, resource efficiency, social equity, cultural preservation and much more.
We’ve just entered the four-week period called Advent, the time when the Christian church prepares for the birth of God (the baby Jesus). Underlying that birth for many people is the concept we call “innocence.” Jesus’ “innocence” is usually connected to his being “without sin.” But what if Jesus wasn’t innocent in that way? What if Jesus wasn’t innocent at all? What if being fully human and fully divine (and being a key word here) meant Jesus was as un-innocent as we are?
When it comes to the hot and hostile topic of racism, how can I talk so another person will listen? Maybe more importantly, how can I listen so another person will talk?