Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Ascension

Breathe: A Child’s Guide to Ascension, Pentecost and the Growing Time — A new book by Laura Alary

March 18, 2021 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Breathe, by Laura Alary My friend Laura Alary has a lovely new book coming out: Breathe: A Child’s Guide to Ascension, Pentecost and the Growing Time (Paraclete Press, 2021). It is designed as a children’s book, but it would be so good for grown-ups too. Don’t miss out just because you don’t have kids around […]

Filed Under: books, Church Year, Reviews Tagged With: Ascension, Laura Alary, Ordinary Time, Pentecost

Monday Meditation: RCL Year B, Trinity Sunday, John 3:1-17

May 22, 2018 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

John 3:1-17

(This week’s Monday Meditation is coming out on Tuesday. But I really did write it on Monday. No kidding.) I love the story of Nicodemus (John 3:1-17), though it is very hard to read it with fresh eyes. (I’ve written on it a couple of other times. There’s a separate meditation for when it comes […]

Filed Under: Bible, Monday Meditation, Prayer Tagged With: Ascension, Born Again, Born from Above, John 3:1-17, John 3:16, Nicodemus

Does the Ascension Divide Christ’s Natures? (Heidelberg Catechism Q48)

August 31, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

Questions You May Not Have Thought Of People often think theologians are busy thinking up answers to questions that people don’t really care about. I bet you’ve heard that, in the Middle Ages, scholastic theologians spent their time debating how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. People believe this is true. It is our stereotype […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year, Heidelberg Catechism Tagged With: Ascension, Chalcedonian Definition, heidelberg catechism, Question 48

The Paradoxical Presence of Christ (Heidelberg Catechism Q47)

August 26, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

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 […]

Filed Under: Bible, Heidelberg Catechism, Theology Tagged With: Ascension, extra calvinisticum, heidelberg catechism

Vocabulary Lesson: What’s Up with the “Ascension”? (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 49)

June 3, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen 7 Comments

ascension

  We just rushed by the most neglected day of the Church’s year: the “Ascension”, forty days after Easter when the risen Christ left the earth and went to heaven. Part of the problem: the original event happened on a Thursday. Churches don’t gather to take notice until the Sunday afterward. Another issue: Jesus lifting off without benefit […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism, Theology, Vocabulary Tagged With: Ascension, Church year, heidelberg catechism, Holy Spirit, Intercession

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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