A couple weeks ago I was reflecting on a much-neglected biblical teaching: the ascension of Christ. We may neglect it because there is a conundrum in the ascension: the puzzling, if not outright paradoxical, presence of Christ. Ascension vs. Presence The last scenes of Jesus’ earthly ministry are emphatic about two completely opposite things: Jesus […]
Why Proclaim that Christ Ascended? (Heidelberg Catechism Q46)
One traditional Christian teaching that many today simply ignore is Christ’s “Ascension.” Why proclaim that Christ ascended into heaven? One answer is that it is simply biblical. You find it at the end of both Mark and Luke, but Acts 1 is the version that sticks in our collective memory. The risen Christ has just […]
Why Did Jesus Have to Die? (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 40)
We are in the season of Easter. This is when, of all seasons of the year, our attention needs to focus on the resurrection of Christ. But we find our selves asking instead “Why did Jesus have to die?” Ours tends to be a “Good Friday” faith. We see the empty tomb and we think […]
What Does It Mean to Honor Your Father and Mother? (Heidelberg Catechism Q104)
What does it mean to honor your father and mother? I was recently invited to contribute a guest column for the magazine Presbyterian Outlook. I decided to write about one of the Ten Commandments: the often misunderstood call to honor your father and mother. What does it mean to honor our parents? If you’ve been here often it […]
Keeping Our True Orientation to Communion (Heidelberg Catechism, Q55)
Last week I posted that the church is most the church when it is in worship, on Sunday morning, receiving the Lord’s Supper. My friend and colleague Chris James left a thoughtful reply disagreeing with me. I see his point. Isn’t this actually the problem in mainstream Christianity? We neglect the mission of God in the world because we are […]
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