10 January 2024 | Samson was a good example of how not to be a leader: narcissistic, morally weak, impulsive, sociopathic, and unpredictable. His story in Judges (13-16) is a classic example of biblical tragedy, and shows how human frailty cannot thwart the will of God. This presentation uses Aristotle’s profile of a tragic hero […]
3 January 2024 | We are told that we may address the Creator of the universe as “Our Father. ” At the same time, he is described as “in heaven.” These two descriptions are in contrast. On one hand, we have a God who is supposed to be as intimate as a parent. On the […]
27 December 2023 | Chaplains in hospitals, hospices, the military, and law enforcement all have one goal: to facilitate shalom. Such is God’s purpose for us all. This week for Christmas we celebrated the birth on earth of Jesus, heaven’s “Prince of shalom” (Isaiah 9:6). The true spirit of Christmas goes beyond exchanging gifts with […]
21 December 2023 | What does the incarnation mean? The gospels give us four different answers. Join the conversation about this and the different meaning it has for each of us. Jim Wibberding Department Chair Professor of Applied Theology and Biblical Studies Pacific Union College Theology Department You may have heard about a new term […]
13 December 2023 | We usually state it in the negative: “Why don’t people go to church?” or “Why have people stopped coming to church?” We can view the other side of the coin by stating it in the positive: “Why do people go to church?” Those who have experienced the hemorrhaging of young people […]
6 December 2023 | Jonathan Butler and Laura Wibberding discuss the October 22 conference on Ellen White’s role in light of recent scholarship. Adventist Today has published two pieces about this conference, that you can read here in preparation for the class: Scholars Appeal for Re-examination of Church’s Relationship to Ellen White “Ellen White for […]
30 November 2023 | The average Christian (among whom are even seminary-trained Christians, as I have come to discover) assumes that the term “Christ” is a religious term unique to the religion of Christianity. Biblically, this is not the case. This assumption may hinder any realization of the radical spiritual calling that is in Christ. […]
8 November 2023 | This class will explore what it means to be a church of and for the 21st-century world. Discover how the modern church can meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving society and foster genuine connections. We’ll discuss practical strategies to unleash the true essence of God’s community and make a tangible […]
25 October 2023 | The Hebrew language, in which much of the Old Testament is written, is a vivid and image-driven language. Throughout the Hebrew Bible, readers will find rich and varied imagery drawn upon by the authors to depict their understanding of who God is and how God engages with humans. As readers, it […]
18 October 2023 | One of the reasons God was so incensed with injustice—after all, he raised prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel and others who were prophets particularly of social justice—is because injustice is so much against who he is and what he is about. If God’s nature is love, and God’s mission is […]
4 October 2023 | Adventist healthcare ministry was once considered the “entering wedge” for our church. Other faith-based healthcare ministries were common at the time, with similar goals and objectives: serving the public in our communities with regard to health and well-being, all the while hoping they would join the church. As Adventism went up […]
27 September 2023 | In discussions about theology and spiritual lives, the aesthetic hardly ever gets the spotlight. When it does, it is often a battle of preferences, not an exchange of informed or “sensed-through” comments on the deeper makeup of the concept and related fields. Things like beauty and arts exist, an artifact may […]