We've started a pilgrimage in exploring the meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus. This week we take a deep dive into Rene Girard's scapegoating theory and how it relates to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Girard believes that, since the dawn of time, human societies have instinctively sought to scapegoat people, which left unchecked can lead to a contagion of violence. We explore here how this understanding relates to Jesus assuming the role of as the Cosmic Scapegoat who suffers violence in order to end this mechanism once and for all.

This new series of What We Missed In... starts on Holy Cross Sunday, the Christian feast day dedicated to the exaltation of Jesus' crucifixion. This begins (like Brian Zhand did on the same day in 2016 on the Camino de Santiago) a pilgrimage that pays attention to the cross of Jesus. What actually happened when Jesus died, and why are we still asking the question? We will not rush to answer these questions, but first, observe how the kaleidoscope of diverse images and metaphors in the New Testament act and shape our understanding.

If worship is the action and orientation of our whole lives towards God, what does it mean to work, rest and play? James introduces this new series, exploring how we can understand and embody the worship of God in our daily lives of work, rest, and play.

One of the problems we have when reading the parables is our over-familiarity with them. We think we have the meaning sussed and sorted. Often, though, we have blunted their power and simplified their meaning. This is true of Jesus' punchy one-liner in Matthew 13.45. What is the Kingdom of God like when compared to a merchant looking for fine pearls, and can what happens to him help us understand it?

We continue to wrestle with our biases and presumptions about this story of Jesus. Today we explore the thorny issue of Jesus' warning that the unrighteous goats will experience 'eternal punishment' for their lack of mercy for the last, little, least and left-behind. What does the word 'eternal' actually mean, and how have we heard it interpreted? What is the nature of 'punishment' that Jesus is warning about? Is it possible that there are different explanations for these terms and the theology that has accompanied them?

Jesus' story in Matthew 25:1-13 about the judgement of the nations has been quoted in public spheres, political arenas, and church pulpits for many years. The history of the interpretation of this text has itself been diverse and complex. For many, it is a 'go-to text' - as a rallying cry for social justice and activism on behalf of the poor, vulnerable and dispossessed in our world, or a warning about the eternal destiny of punishment that awaits the unbelieving goats of the nations. This first talk will uncover some surprising alternative readings.

This is part 2 of our reflections on one of Jesus' most enigmatic parables in Luke 16.1-13. Where was Jesus heading with this story, and what is the nature of this 'trusted thing' called mammon, that he warns his disciples and hearers about?

This is one of Jesus' most eccentric and perplexing parables. What do we do with this man who is a frauster, a trickster, a deceiver, but whose actions are commended by the boss he has stolen from and validated as being shrewd by Jesus? There are a variety of possible meanings to this story, but it is one that refuses to be pinned down to a single definitive interpretation. How can Luke's emphasis, Jesus' focus and the social context forge a way forward to understanding and relevance to us?