Author: wilrens
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Coming Soon: Website Relaunch!
This past May marked the 10th anniversary of Create a Learning Site. Over the course of 120 articles, I have shared what I have learned on a fascinating journey of discovery through the Bible’s history, culture, and theology. As part of this milestone, I took a sabbatical to reflect and recharge. Now, after a period…
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Breaking the Silence: Rethinking 1 Timothy 2 and Women’s Roles in the Church
Let’s delve into the intriguing complexities of 1 Timothy 2:12, a passage often cited to restrict women from church leadership. But is it truly a blanket prohibition or are we sidelining half the church based on a single verse misunderstood? Join us as we dissect historical contexts, linguistic nuances, and Paul’s underlying intentions to unveil…
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Unveiling 1 Corinthians 11: Going beyond ‘New Women’
Learn about Paul covering the uncovered: his surprising stand for women in 1 Corinthians 11.
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It’s a MARBLE!
The United Bible Societies have produced a website that is truly a marvel: https://semanticdictionary.org/. It shows either the Greek NT or the Hebrew OT next to a translation (RSV in English). It also gives access to semantic dictionary entries for each Greek and Hebrew word. Have a look and see what it can do!
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Walk: A Metaphor
Walk is a much-used metaphor in Scripture. Its meaning is clear: walking stands for how we live life; our walk is our lifestyle. Paul uses the metaphor extensively in Colossians and Ephesians. One could say it is the subject of the entire second half of Ephesians: Walk worthy of your calling (Eph. 4:1), with Paul…
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Christian Zionism: Revisiting My Doctoral Dissertation (II)
What new insights related to Christian Zionism have been produced by scholarship over the past 16 years? This is Part II of a re-evaluation of my thesis (Hornstra 2007). Part I looked at three points that I feel have been confirmed. Here, I discuss new developments. I started working on this content a year ago.…
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Christian Zionism: Revisiting My Doctoral Dissertation (I)
For this month and next, something slightly different: an update on (and review of) my 2007 dissertation (based on a lecture I presented recently at a theological forum). What is the status of scholarship on Christian Zionism 16 years later?
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In Memoriam
On 21 July of this year, my mom passed away. She was 85 years old. The funeral was a week later. I want to share with you what I said on that occasion. And here is why. You can also watch this content as a VIDEO PODCAST or listen to it as an AUDIO PODCAST…
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The Challenge of James (II)
The challenge of James is, of course, a double one. The more important one is to do what it says; that’s hard. But there is also the challenge of finding coherence in its message: What is James about? What is its point? And linked with this: What is its structure? I will start with the…
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The Challenge of James (I)
For this issue and the next, I take on the challenge of James. First, a general exploration, before I look at the unifying theme and coherence of its message (next time).
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Deconstruct Your Faith: The New Trend?
What are we to make of ‘deconstructing faith’? Is ‘evangelical’ still a meaningful – or desirable – label? What can we do about young adults leaving the church?
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The Bible and Music; Plus: The Revised Toolbox!
James McGrath has published an unusual and innovative book, The Bible and Music. It uses the power of the World Wide Web by embedding links and videos in the text. Admittedly, you don’t have to be a genius to have that idea, but it is not often done. To top it all off, the book…
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Samuel Once More: Realpolitik or Sermon on the Mount?
Samuel is still on my mind, reading it as a study on politics and war. What should our position be: Sermon on the Mount or Realpolitik?
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Samuel: Great Stories, But What’s the Point?
The book of Samuel is filled with great stories. But what is the overall message of the book? Or is it just a collection of disparate stories?
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Revelation: A Look at the Text (Part 2 of 2)
In this issue, I am presenting the final instalment (unit 12-17) of my teaching on the book of Revelation. We will be looking at Revelation 12-22. Last year, I published a general introduction as well as a more detailed look at the text of Revelation 1-11. I will include these 11 units in the overview…
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‘Original Sin’: Explaining the Inexplicable
It’s rare that you can prove a biblical truth through direct observation of human behaviour; here is one. But that doesn’t make it any easier to explain it. Second and final part.
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Revelation: A Look at the Text (Part 1 of 2)
Building on the general introduction to Revelation, this is the first of twelve units looking at the text of a tough but marvellous book.
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‘Original Sin’: The Conundrum We Cannot Do without
It’s rare that you can prove a biblical truth through direct observation of human behaviour; here is one. But that doesn’t make it any easier to explain it. First part of two.
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Revelation: A General Introduction
Confused or disturbed by the book of Revelation (or just plain curious)? Watch or read this general introduction to the book! A section-by-section explanation of the text is to follow.
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Terseness
One subject that is foundational if we want to understand the OT better is Hebrew poetry. It is a subject habitually covered in YWAM’s Bible courses, usually in connection with an introduction to the book of Psalms. However, much more of the OT is poetry than merely the Psalms or even the poetry and wisdom…
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Titus: Structure and Genre
For the 100th time, a report from my learning journey. This issue: Titus – there is more than meets the eye at first sight!
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Holy
Could you define the word holy? Explain it to someone who is a new believer? The word is like a butterfly: not easy to catch!
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Our Father: A Lecture in Prayer
It is perhaps the most familiar passage in all of Scripture. But what does it mean? If we apply the three basic steps of inductive Bible study, it is amazing what we uncover.
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The Two Gorillas of Atonement Theory
More than a year after I completed and published a three-part study of the atonement, here is what I think now: Penal Substitution (PS) needs substantial modification, but Christus Victor (CV; a brief explanation of these two will follow) cannot replace it. Instead of false dichotomies (either/or) and competition between explanations, we need an integrated…