Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Theology

Vocabulary Lesson: And Why Do We Call it “Good Friday”?

April 3, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

For a lot of people Good Friday brings one question to mind: Why ‘Good’? If I love Jesus and want to follow him, how can I say that the day he died was ‘Good’? It sounds like I should be jumping with joy. I can’t read the Gospel accounts without tears. English speakers have called […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year, Theology Tagged With: Cross, Crucifixion, Good Friday, Great Friday, Holy and Great Friday

Lent 4: On Sex, and Being a Seaworthy Ship

March 12, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Like food, sexual activity is necessary for survival. But while food is needed for each individual, in the case of sex the need is for the species. Nobody, as they say, ever actually died of chastity. The understanding of many Christian centuries that chastity is actually better for you may seem at least foreign. In our society we equate sexuality with […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Theology Tagged With: Chastity, Evagrius of Pontus, Evagrius Ponticus, Fornication, Lent, Lust

Lent 3: Food as Food

March 9, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Evagrius Ponticus (d. 399), the great Desert Father with whom I’m spending this Lent has a  has a way of pointing out obvious things that I’ve spent a very long time not noticing: biblically speaking, food has a long history of getting us into problems. Desire for food gave birth to disobedience and a sweet taste […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Faith, Theology Tagged With: Evagrius of Pontus, Evagrius Ponticus, Food, Gluttony, Martin Luther

Lent 2: Lenten Fasting and My Potato Chip Problem

March 6, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Once upon a time, a marketing genius thought up a great slogan for Lay’s potato chips: Betcha can’t eat just one.” My waistline has testified to the truth of this for decades. They are right. I can’t. My conversation partner for Lent, the great Desert Father Evagrius Ponticus, had the same insight back in the […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Theology Tagged With: Evagrius of Pontus, Evagrius Ponticus, Fasting, John Calvin, Lent, Lenten disciplines

My New Book! “Love Your Bible” is HERE!

March 4, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

classic lectio divina

I am THRILLED to announce that my new book, Love Your Bible: Finding Your Way to the Presence of God with a 12th Century Monk is now available! Love Your Bible introduces 21st century readers to classic lectio divina–an approach to Scripture that has shaped the lives of disciples for well over a thousand years. Love Your […]

Filed Under: Bible, Prayer, Theology Tagged With: Book Launch, Free eBook, Lectio divina

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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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