The Uncensored Unprofessor

What kind of out-of-the-box things did Jesus do regarding women? Were those specific things approved by Jewish culture? Was Jesus only kind and gentle toward women? Still more, was Jesus a feminist? Should the Church embrace feminism in order to bless women?

What is the doctrine of election? How did Augustine formulate his doctrine of election? How does that compare to the Bible's presentation of election? Are you one of the elect? How should we think about election? When I was young, how did I think about election? What did Jesus teach about election? I explore this important, if often confusing, doctrine. Come and think with me!

Was Jesus opposed to all power? Did Jesus avoid causing division? To end all use of power? Did Jesus come to affirm us just as we are? And, did Jesus come to eliminate all authority or restructure it? To find answers I walk us through several Gospel stories. There is a big difference between Authoritah and Authority.

If we saw him in his context we'd see that Jesus was fierce, confident, bold, and even male. But was his maleness toxic? How can we know? What do we see about Jesus of Nazareth when we consider his maleness? Is it true that he was everywhere affirming everyone? Was his mission one of pure inclusivity?

Miracles are not logical, so what does that suggest about the Christian life? Why didn't Jesus blast people with the miraculous? What do miracles point us toward? And, what is an indirect miracle? Finally, did Jesus use symbolism to make his points? Why or why not?

What were Jesus' temptations about? How did Mordor tempt Jesus in ways specific to Jesus' own wiring? What does that suggest about our own temptations? Is Jesus like our own era: a big teddy bear? How did Jesus confront Mordor? Why does the enemy always seem to respond in kind to God's presence?

We have no biography about Jesus' boyhood. We do, though, have boat loads of info about life in the ancient world. What would it have been like to live then? What advantage did Jesus have for living in that world? And then, what was the meaning of Jesus' baptism? Did he need forgiveness of sins? Subsequently, what is the meaning of our water baptism?

What does Jesus' entrance into reality say about him, about God? What was that entrance like? Why would God choose to hide his majesty? What does it mean to say God is a gentleman?

Common remarks on the Bible: a) It's just trying to wreck our fun; b) it was written to protect a bourgeois, bougie, societal structure; c) it was written to benefit faceless powerbrokers; d) it was passed along to benefit upper-class white men. Those remarks purport the Bible is mere propaganda. But, really, if we look closer, is that true? And, just what is propaganda? (I also predict the Super Bowl winner.)

When I was a teenager I was in an horrific automobile accident. It was awful, injurious, and painful. How did God use it to re-direct my life? What things have I, across 40 years, taken away from that accident? What might those things mean for you?