On Wednesday, February 9th, I gave a talk for for CMJ UK‘s semi-annual online Shofar Event. My talk was entitled, How Studying Jesus’ Jewishness Saved My Faith Did the historical Jesus actually claim to be the Messiah and Son of God, or did his later followers dream this up? This question truly worried me until […]
The Meaning of Life, According to Jesus
Here’s a little experiment for you. Right now, make yourself smile. Look in the mirror. Are you really, genuinely smiling? Or is it a little forced? Okay, now make yourself laugh. Did you fill the room with hearty guffawing? Or did you find it quite difficult? Okay, now make yourself happy. Are you truly brimming […]
Abortion: What the Early Church Said
The woman in this picture is explaining how she ended her newborn daughter’s life. Believe it or not, she’s actually done this to eight of her children, all girls. In her village in India, it is common practice. You can read more of her tragic story on this blog, “The Three Deadliest Words in the […]
A Christian’s Favorite Jewish Books on the Bible
Last week the yearly Torah study began again. The scrolls have been rewound from Deuteronomy back to Genesis, and once again, Jews will ruminate over Adam and Eden and Abel. Week by week over thousands of years, they’ve engaged in the study of the Pentateuch together. Often I’m asked what my favorite resources are for […]
Great Books for Learning to Walk Like Rabbi Jesus
A few weeks ago I wrote a blog called “Good First Reads About Jesus’ Jewish Context” which shared what I’d give to people who are just beginning to learn about Hebraic studies. Many of you wonder what else I recommend. You’d think that the next books I’d suggest would be more history. But discipleship is […]
Good First Reads about Jesus’ Jewish Context
Many ask me what the first books I’d recommend are to read if you want to learn about Jesus and the Bible in their Hebraic context. Below I’ve shared a short list of where to start. One thing I always tell people is that before they start studying, they need to have a firm grasp […]
Discovering the Jewishness of Our Faith
Below is an interview I did recently with Sam Hailes of Christian.co.uk about Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus. See the original at this link. (I’ve tweaked a few lines of my own below, just for clarity.) Discovering the Jewishness of Our Faith When Lois Tverberg first heard about a seminar at her […]
Covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi: An Urban Legend?
Some months ago, pastor-blogger Trevin Wax posted an article called “Urban Legends: The Preacher’s Edition.” There he lists several “urban legends” that he’s heard floating around lately in sermons. Like Internet rumors that people forward on ad infinitum, these preaching illustrations don’t have much grounding in fact. One potential fallacy on his list caught my […]
An Idea that Is Changing the World
A Time Magazine article says that re-judaizing Jesus is an idea that is changing the world.