Common Good Righteousness

Our nationโ€™s founders claimed a โ€œself-evidentโ€ truth that all humans are equal and that our Creator has endowed us with โ€œcertain unalienable Rights.โ€ These โ€œRightsโ€ were so important to the writers of the Declaration that they capitalized the word. Pursuing a just distribution of those rights makes one a good American as well as a …

How Jesus Treated Women

Jesusโ€™ positively pure-hearted way of relating to women was outright scandalous by comparison to their men-first-and-foremost culture. In his interaction with the woman at the well he broke all the rules regarding religious, ethnic, and worst of all, gender biases. An argument could be made that it was to her that he first clearly disclosed …

How to Fight Like Jesus

โ€œWhich of the two do you want me to release to you?โ€ asked the governor. โ€œBarabbas,โ€ they answered. โ€œWhat shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?โ€ Pilate asked. They all answered, โ€œCrucify him!โ€ (Matthew 27:21-22) Barabbas was in prison for murder and insurrection. His name means โ€œSon of the Father.โ€ Sound …

A Lamb or a Hammer?

Using Christianity to justify violence is diametrically opposite of the message of his prophetic โ€œstreet theaterโ€ on Palm Sunday, not to mention Zechariahโ€™s prophecy. Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 …

Your Eye for Mine

People treat their enemies in one of three ways: demonically, legalistically, or christianly. Returning evil for good is demonic. Giving back good for good and evil for evil (eye for an eye) is legalistic. Many Christians practice this second way without giving it a second thought. Someone puts out your eye and you put out …