Blog Posts - joeburnham.com

Victimhood

April 15, 2020 by joe Leave a Comment

Like the meritocracy, victimhood is another way we seek to answer the question, “Who sinned?”

The Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”
Genesis 3:9–13, NRSV

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Last time we left off with the claim that an embrace of meritocracy is one of two primary ways we 21st Century Americans like to answer the question, “Who sinned?“ It is a question that is really about blame. We need to know who is at fault?

While in an ancient world built on transcendent enchantment the search for who to blame was all about appeasing an offended deity, in our world of immanent disenchantment it often comes down to knowing who to shame.

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Who Sinned?

April 11, 2020 by joe Leave a Comment

The question, “Who sinned?” launches us into a multi-week exploration of the local context of John 10:10 and Jesus’ offer of an abundant life.

Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
John 9:2, NRSV

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Jesus’ Abundant Life in Context

April 9, 2020 by joe Leave a Comment

Jesus talked about the abundant life in context. It is not a random saying. It happens as part of a broader story. So if we want to understand what Jesus meant, we have to consider that story. That is the goal of these posts.

What did Jesus really mean when he said:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10, NRSV

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There’s Something About Jesus

March 29, 2020 by joe Leave a Comment

Even in the most difficult times in my life of faith, there’s been something about Jesus. Like those times when my jaw clinched against my will. From deep within my gut anger rose up like a kindled tinder bursting into flame. Rarely opened spickets in my eyes allowed the early stages of tears to form. Logic and reason left the building. My mind became a place of chaos. The lie sat in front of me and I no longer knew what to believe. All I knew is that there was no going back to the faith I once embraced. Even then, there was something about Jesus.

There’s something about Jesus laughing. — There’s something about Jesus laughing that brings me joy even in the midst of chaos.

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Context is King

March 29, 2020 by joe Leave a Comment

If I could pass on one word of advice to everyone who picks up the Bible, it would be, “Remember, context is king.” Another way of saying it would be, “Don’t ignore the forest for the sake of one tree … or, quite possibly, a single leaf.”

Far too often we take a single story or verse from the Bible, a mere leaf in the midst of a forest, and read it without seeing the bigger picture. (Photo by John Price on Unsplash)

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