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In The Bible and Beyond blog, you’ll read explorations of historical and spiritual questions about Jesus, women, salvation, healing, the meaning of life, and where Christianity came from. This blog, curated by Shirley Paulson and Hal Taussig, opens the conversation that will help us – writers and readers – unlock some of the mysteries from extra-canonical books, forgotten scriptures, so-called “gnostic” gospels, and the Bible.
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How Did Jesus Heal People?
His attitude toward healing was integrated with salvation, so the entirety of one’s being—body, mind, and soul—all belong to and were governed by a renewed relationship to God, the loving Father.
How to Choose the Best Bible Translation
Whatever translation you’re using, switch to another. You will gain a new point of view on your favorite scriptures. A switch will remind you that translations are not THE BIBLE, but versions of the Bible.
The Unnamed Woman Miracle-Worker in the Gospel of Mark
Who is the miracle-worker in this story? Surely, Jesus has performed many miracles himself, but in this particular case, the miracle-worker is the unnamed woman.
Did Jesus Have Brothers and Sisters?
We are left wondering. A few other important texts not as well-known as the canonical texts provide more information about Jesus’s family identity.
How to Stop Worrying: The Biblical Remedy
When I looked into the realities of ancient clothing, however, I started to see how tied together clothing and the body – and beyond the body, the very stuff of self – really were, for Jesus’ audience.
Inspiration for Keeping a New Year’s Resolution
The phrase from the Thomas Saying, “become like me,” is what caught my attention while I was thinking about my New Year’s resolution. I know I am not alone having made resolutions that don’t quite succeed.
The Magi in the Gospel of Matthew
This story [of the magi] encapsulates major themes of Matthew’s gospel. It prepares a reader for the story’s ending in the tragedy of Jesus’ execution. Sacred geography has been reordered.
What Is the Deeper Meaning of Christmas?
If we only celebrated the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew, we’d have no angel speaking to Mary …. If we only celebrated the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, we’d have no flight to Egypt.
Basileia: Kingdom of God or Empire of God?
“The (Father’s) empire is inside you and outside you.” The various performances of the right answer suggest the oral tradition had a hard time finding the gist for the correct answer.
“The Thought of Norea” from the Nag Hammadi Library
She’s modeling for us how to find the divine help for ourselves and how, in turn, we become helpers for others. Norea provides one more window on the world of the early Christ followers.
Why the Gospel of Luke Framed Mary Magdalene
Diminishing the women’s role paves the way for the preeminence of Peter and the twelve apostles. Luke completely succeeded. That became the foundation for the myth of Christian origins.
The Secret Teaching of Mary Magdalene
In the Gospel of Mary, Peter asked Mary to tell the disciples the secret teaching she heard from Jesus, but he became angry after she told it.
How Did Mary Magdalene Lose Her Reputation?
"Now you know how she lost her reputation. I think it's time in our generation that we give it back to her. She was a noble follower of Jesus from the very beginning." A video featuring Dr. Brandon Scott.
Jesus at His Trial in the Gospel of Mark
Jesus stands before the chief priest powerless and humiliated. Yet he claims to be the Anointed, the son of the Blessed One. His lack of power in the face of the chief priest’s evident power constitutes blasphemy
Praying in Secret
I think Thunder got it right: we shouldn’t be surprised to discover how spiritual dullness continues to oppose the quest for spiritual understanding. When we pray in secret, we hear by thunder.
Five Good Reasons Why Bible Readers Should Read Noncanonical Texts
Some obscure points in the canon may have much greater significance in the larger context of other works. Here is a detailed example to illustrate this point. Starting with Colossians.
The Gospel of Mark: The Good News of Transgressing Boundaries
Our author has provided us with new eyes with which to view the story, the good news. Use those eyes, and the story will open up in amazing ways.
The Bible Can Be Art (As Well as Text)
Is a t-shirt with John 3:16 on it bible? It’s not a bible, it’s not the Bible, but it’s bible, in some sense.
The Difficulties and the Art of Bible Translation
Looking over my shoulder as I translate gives you some idea of the many decisions that must be made to reach a good translation.
Gun Violence: Answers from the Letter of Peter to Philip
We’ve prayed before. We’ve cried before. We’ve blamed others before. Have we run out of options? That’s the question that brings me back to the only ancient Christian text I’m aware of that deals so directly with violence.
Legions of Laughter: What’s Up with Those 2,000 Pigs?
Here’s to humor that paints a dark, funny, and different perspective. Here’s to letting the people who look like they are in trouble chuckle about their future. Here’s to violent legions rushing toward their own demise.
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