A few weeks ago a friend commented privately about the issues I’ve been rattling on about in my blog. She said: “. . .It seems that for a lot of your questions you have lived your way into [the] answers. I think you bring up a lot of good points that we should as Christians … Continue reading »
I have a few Greek clients, whom I dearly love, and last week they were talking of their preparations for “Greek Easter” which happened yesterday, May 5th, 2013. Every year they teach me the appropriate salutation and responses, you’ll remember them from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Christos Anesti: Christ is risen! Alithos … Continue reading »
Placing Jesus, Paul, the Pharisees, Judaism, and the New Testament back into their historic realities has consequences for a believer; many of which are fantastic. I’ve taken time to explain some of my theological shifts on these matters in order to communicate deeper issues encountered in my sojourn, and there’s simply no way to do … Continue reading »
Converted To What? The term “conversion” is consistently used regarding the Apostle Paul. It refers to the Damascus Road experience when he supposedly went from an aggressive, religious Pharisee, hellbent on the “outdated” and “abolished” Law (Torah), to a kind, compassionate, meek Christian saved by grace alone. (Law vs grace). According to Webster’s Dictionary, conversion … Continue reading »
Last time I outlined two of three problems that cropped up as I pondered certain paradigms, namely, that the Pharisees were all wrong, and that 1st century Jews who came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah had “converted” to Christianity and ceased being Jewish. And the proof given always circled around the Apostle Paul’s … Continue reading »
Going Kosher I mentioned before that my daughter decided to “go kosher” in support of her Jewish friend who’d almost lost her life after eating a juicy pork chop and upon recovery, had decided to show her gratitude to God by starting to obey His food commandments. I thought it was a sweet sentiment for … Continue reading »
Picking up where I left off last time, I had serious reservations about the thoughts that were now noodling around in my head about the Pharisees and Judaizers. All that I’d heard and read about them was decidedly unfavorable and let’s face it, who wants to be a heretic? And, since opposing and even downright … Continue reading »
Although it’s now over, I’m still reflecting on Passover, specifically how celebrating it gets so much easier over the years. It’s not merely a matter of hosting or attending a Seder, as we usually host several and attend at least one other; there’s far more to it than that. Clean out all of the leavening, … Continue reading »
Last year we held Seders and were blessed with an invitation to attend a friend’s. We had only known them for a few years, but thought highly of them. A young couple with two smart and beautiful children, and another on the way, we happily agreed to come celebrate with them and another mutual friend. … Continue reading »
This is Part 2, click for Part 1 Insert hours of Bible study, remedial Hebrew lessons from my daughter, commentaries from my resources, and. . . well, as the “entertainment committee” for my husband’s family, it fell to me to make Passover happen for my Jews. Still, I wrestled. But I began to break through … Continue reading »
