Believe the earth is flat, or I'll kill you. Are you able to ignore the evidence that says otherwise?

Eternal bliss or eternal suffering, each at a level so profound that we cannot begin to imagine the plenary ecstasy of heaven or the relentless horror of hell. This,  Christians contend, is what is at stake as we try to decide whether or not to believe in Jesus as God.

But even this “choice” misunderstands the concept of belief. Belief is not a decision, but rather an intellectual position to which we are taken by evidence (evidence which can include, I am told, personal revelations from God, a courtesy not yet extended to me). We can’t believe the earth is flat, even if threatened with death for that disbelief, because the evidence tells us it’s spherical.

Yet according to the Christian proposition, we must believe certain things to avoid damnation. What are they? Besides the…

I was asked by reader Rachel D. to recommend the documentary “For the Bible Tells Me So,” which examines the use of the Bible in debates about gay rights.  I found it very interesting, but since it primarily pits different interpretations of the Bible against each other, as a humanist I’m not the best judge of the arguments.  So here is Rachel’s recommendation:

“For the Bible Tells Me So is a bold and moving documentary. It brought me to tears in several parts. I think anyone who is a religious person should try to open their minds and hearts and really listen to what this movie has to say. Watch the whole thing and give it a chance before you strike it down. Being a Christian myself it has always bothered me that there is a lot of hate towards gays coming from several religions and the people who practice them. In…

Dr. Efraín Agosto

TOMORROW night (Tues, March 31) Dr. Efraín Agosto, Dean of Hartford Seminary (Conn.) and professor of New Testament, will be speaking at Concordia Seminary on the topic of leadership, especially as it relates to the biblical letters of Paul (his area of expertise).

I just attended a lunch meeting where Dr. Agosto spoke. This promises to be a thought-provoking event at the intersections of leadership, Latino and multicultural issues, and the Bible.

The lecture will be at 7:00PM in the Seminary’s Werner Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

(Werner Auditorium is on the north end of Concordia’s Clayton campus. DeMun Avenue dead-ends into a campus drive that leads into the north-end parking lot closest to the auditorium.)

The event is hosted by the Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) at Concordia Seminary, and it is the fourth Annual Lecture in Hispanic/Latino Theology and Missions. The Center is also hosting a Latino…

You don’t need this New Testament, but if you get your hands on one, I promise that you will enjoy it.

It is a facsimile of William Tyndale’s 1526 New Testament, the first English Bible translated from the original languages. Take a look at the photo below to get an idea of the excellent production quality - very clear type and excellent color.

Tyndale biographer David Danell offers an introduction to this New Testament, bringing us into the dangerous world of Tyndale - a martyr for the Christian faith and the freedom of access to Scripture in one’s own language.

Tyndale believed the Bible could and should be available in every man’s own tongue. He knew the outcome of Bible transmission would be spiritual renewal, famously saying, “The boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than an educated man.”

This publication of Tyndale’s New Testament provides great opportunity to talk to your…

A veiled woman and child illustrate the story of Mary and Jesus in Bible Illuminated.

Just heard this story on NPR’s Morning Edition in the car this morning: “Two New Bibles Present a Hip, Eco-Friendly Gospel.”

The first is Bible Illuminated: The Book, a coffee-table book of the New Testament with stunning contemporary photography. The second is The Green Bible, literally a “green” Bible (made of recycled materials) that highlights  “environmental” passages in (what else?) green.

Of course, these two “new” Bibles aren’t really new translations. More like new ways to present the biblical text in a provocative, engaging way. What I think the story illustrates is how the Bible (1) is perhaps the single most interpreted text in western literature, and (2) continues to inspire countless incarnations of itself in culture and the marketplace. With all these countless variations, it is still the world’s best-seller.

As for me, I believe I’ll add Bible Illuminated to my…