From time to time, I read blogs by atheists and skeptics as a way of keeping tabs, so to speak, on the current image of Christians. This is one way I try to better myself so I'm not "one of them" - one of the believers that gives Jesus a bad name by my example.… Continue reading What toxic Christians tell us about Jesus
Tag: evangelicals
The way we talk about Pharisees, and why it matters
With the Lenten season coming up, it's time to discuss something that's been on my mind for a while: Pharisees. Odd, I know -- that's not something that normal people think about, except perhaps how not to be one of them: those hostile, unbending, legalistic Jews of the 1st century. The ones who scolded Jesus… Continue reading The way we talk about Pharisees, and why it matters
Yom Kippur and #MeToo
I never liked Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, growing up. Jewish holidays can best be summarized as “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat,” and thus tend to be joyful occasions, but not this one. It’s a somber day of reflecting on our sins and making amends with the people we’ve hurt.… Continue reading Yom Kippur and #MeToo
Key theological differences between Judaism and Christianity
Much of my work consists of pointing out the ways that Jews and Christians can learn from each other, based on their shared history in Scripture. Today, however, I want to point out some of the ways that the two faiths differ in their theologies. These differences go a lot deeper than simply “Jesus” and… Continue reading Key theological differences between Judaism and Christianity
Why the Anglican church?
One thing that scared me away from the chaplaincy program at seminary was the requirement of having the support of a specific denomination. I lived under the “It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship” banner at the time, so the thought of having to align myself with a “religious” label abhorred me. My academic adviser… Continue reading Why the Anglican church?
How my Jewish background opened my eyes to racism
I often wonder what my life would be like if I had been raised in a Christian home. Would I be the same person I am today? Would I still prioritize understanding different viewpoints – even those (or especially those) I disagree with? It’s easy for me to resent my Jewish background sometimes. It’s the… Continue reading How my Jewish background opened my eyes to racism
Surviving the latest schism
In November 2016, my faith took a hard nose dive. It was going that direction already, after a difficult season at a conservative seminary and acknowledging hard questions I couldn’t find sensible answers to. But if there’s one thing that really threatened to destroy it all, it was seeing a group of people, supposedly united… Continue reading Surviving the latest schism
Why I’m not a Messianic Jew
It’s a struggle for some people to understand how “Christian with Jewish heritage” and “Messianic Jew” are not the same thing. I completely understand why; it wasn’t that long ago that I myself would have failed to see the difference. Friends in my college bible study group would ask me for the “insider’s scoop” on… Continue reading Why I’m not a Messianic Jew