born and raised twice in the bay, I preach Jesus and him crucified
Image Credit: Todd Bolen, bibleplaces.com. A series of mineral springs on the southern edge of ancient Hierapolis were popular then and now for bathing. Because Hierapolis is no longer inhabited, these springs are known by the name of the nearby modern town, Pamukkale. Paul closes his letter to the Colossians not with lofty argument but... Continue Reading →
Figurine of a kneeling, shaven-headed man from Egypt’s Late Period (664–332 BCE), copper alloy, housed in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities, Musée du Louvre, inventory no. N 1593 The story of Job confronts us with raw grief, deep trust, and worship. In Job 1.20-22, we see a man who has lost all: his children, his possessions,... Continue Reading →
Arthur Köpcke. Reading Work Piece No. 10: fill with own imagination. 1962 MOMA Yesterday I learned a new word, or rather, I learned how to pronounce one. Not a rare word, not something buried in ancient texts, but a word I may have encountered countless times without ever hearing it spoken aloud: academician. When a... Continue Reading →
“Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16, ESV) When I first obeyed the gospel, my mother’s first emotion was not... Continue Reading →
Fetti, D. (c.a. 1619). The Parable of the Mote and the Beam [Oil on wood]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Matthew 7.1-5 A man cuts you off in traffic. Instinct says, "He's reckless." But if you cut someone off, you think, "I was late. "Psychologists call this the fundamental attribution error. We explain others' failures by their character... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 