Are There More than 66 Books in the Bible?
"My proposal is to own the larger reality of Bibles and scripture in which the poetry, stories, letters, and wisdom take their largest and most flexible expressions."
What the Apostles Did after the Resurrection
"Christian believers for the past two millennia haven’t distinguished between canonical and noncanonical sources. Lots of stories in noncanonical texts have been just as much true stories for believers as canonical texts. Lots of stories in noncanonical texts have been just as much true stories for believers as canonical texts." An interview with Dr. Janet Spittler.
The Shepherd of Hermas: All Slaves of God
"For Hermas, self-control meant a redirection of desire by taking pleasure in the joy of helping the poor. Such redirection was a means to overcome double-mindedness by reorienting wealthier members to focus on the community rather than themselves."
How the Beautiful Odes of Solomon Enhance Jewish-Christian Dialogue
"Some think these Odes of Solomon are words of praise to Jesus. … But these are Jesus's praises of God, not the worship of Jesus." An Interview with Samuel Zinner, PhD, and Mark M. Mattison.
The Odes of Solomon: Jewish Wisdom and Christian Worship
"Virtually unknown until ancient manuscripts began to surface in 1785, this surprising and superlative collection of odes offers a rare glimpse into the unbridled spirituality of early Eastern followers of Jesus."
The Gospel of Thomas: A Fresh Gospel Perfectly Suited for a New Yet Ancient Spiritual Practice
Spend five to ten minutes a day contemplating just one saying, letting it roll around in your head and heart and noticing what else it brings into your mind.
Certainty of Compassion in Uncertain Times
I feel the tears in my city and from people everywhere who have become untethered from the promise of security. … a voice is speaking. “It is I, the compassionate.”
The Thunder: Perfect Mind
She has much power, speaks her own truth even when it is not easy, brings different persons and characteristics together in herself, and enacts surprising connections.
What Can I Do about Systemic Problems?
Am I (and everybody else) supposed to work on my own behavior alone with God, or … should I sell everything I have and give to the poor, as Jesus teaches (Mark 10:21)?
How Can Ancient Texts Help Us Find Meaning in Our Lives?
I have worked for thirty-plus years on early texts from the Christ movements, the rest of the Bible, and all kinds of ancient writings, because it has been one of the ways I claim meaning.