Monthly Archives: February 2023

Engage: Subversion #1

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Steve Harper

It was not until I read Eugene Peterson’s book ‘Subversive Spirituality’ that I recognized the importance of subversion. When I saw that Brueggemann used the word in his title for chapter two, I was eager to see what he means … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: Ad Fontes!

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I see the importance of going back to the Center if we are to change things on the circumference. One of the clarion calls of the Renaissance was “ad fontes,” a mantra reminding people that change … Continue reading →

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Engage Group: First Meeting Today

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Steve Harper

Looking forward to visiting with you today at noon (ET), focusing on the introduction and first chapter of Brueggemann’s book Here’s the Zoom meeting link… https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9314085719

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LGBTQ+ Writing: Liberating Scripture #4

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Steve Harper

In the previous three posts, I have shown that the interpretive landscape with respect to human sexuality is changing as biblical exegetes join with those in the physical sciences to liberate Scripture from a theological/cultural captivity that inaccurately leads to … Continue reading →

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Engage Group: Meeting Reminder

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Steve Harper

Just a reminder that our meeting is changed to tomorrow (Saturday) at Noon (ET), not today. Looking forward to a good discussion of Brueggemann’s introduction and first chapter. Here is the link to the meeting… https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9314085719

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LGBTQ+ Writing: Liberating Scripture #3

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Steve Harper

Today, we look at how Romans 1:18-32 is being liberated from misinterpretation. At its broadest base, Paul’s words have been used (as those in Leviticus) as a blanket condemnation of homosexuality. That one-size-fits-all view has been changing, but the overall … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: “But They Do A Lot of Good”

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I see the great loss that occurs when critical thinking is abandoned. We are seeing this abandonment in spades these days, in both the society and church. I live in a state (Florida) that is saturated … Continue reading →

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Engage Group: New Meeting Time

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Steve Harper

The first online meeting of our group has been changed to Saturday, the 25th at Noon (ET). We will share in relation to the introduction and first chapter of Brueggemann’s book. Here is the link to the meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9314085719

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LGBTQ+ Writing: Liberating Scripture #2

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Steve Harper

In the first post in this mini-series, I wrote to show how the sciences have cleared up the misconception of creation as binary, revealing a cosmos (from molecules to galaxies) that is nonbinary and interconnected.[1] Creation theology is shedding bright … Continue reading →

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LGBTQ+ Writing: Liberating Scripture #1

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Steve Harper

For multiple reasons in recent days, it is clear that the assault against LGBTQ+ people is increasing in some places, led in many ways by Christians using the Bible to do harm. The need to liberate Scripture from its theological … Continue reading →

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Engage: Journey #2

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Steve Harper

This Friday, we have our first Zoom meeting, in which we share our experiences while reading chapter one. Here is the link to the meeting that runs from Noon to 1:00 p.m. (ET)…. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9314085719 We have seen the ignition of … Continue reading →

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“Heart Sounds”

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Steve Harper

Quite a few of you have subscribed to Oboedire recently. Just a reminder that the “Heart Sounds” podcast by Steve Harper is available on Spotify. The series explores the spiritual life using short-episode programs, on average about 10 minutes each. … Continue reading →

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Engage: The Journey #1

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Steve Harper

In chapter one, Brueggemann takes the broad idea of journey and applies it to the common good. Wisely, he shows us that we move into the common good in stages. It is not a state as much as it is … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: The Gospel

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I see that the Gospel really is good news. In recent posts, I have explored the hermeneutical principles used by Jesus and the first Christians, showing that our declaration as Christians is more appropriately, “the Gospel … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: Revive Us Again!

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I see the nature and purpose of revivals. In seminary, I took a course about revivals. The focus was on revivals in the Bible, with extra time given to those in Isaiah 6 and Acts 2. … Continue reading →

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A Soil Prepared

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Steve Harper

The Northwest Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church leads the pack of disaffiliating congregations, and does so by a large margin. As I write this, the average disaffiliation rate in the USA is about 7%. In the NWTX … Continue reading →

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Engage: The Wilderness

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Steve Harper

Brueggemann’s reintroduction in the revised edition of this book is worth the price of it because “the wilderness” is where we spend so much time in our journey to the common good. We live between what should not be and … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: Now I See!

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I see things I did not see before. Many of those things cluster around the word ‘injustice’—things that were going on right before my eyes but I did not see them. Things that created a lopsided … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: The First-Christians Hermeneutic

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I look one more time at “the Gospel says” interpretive declaration. Following Jesus, it is not surprising that the first Christians interpreted the Hebrew scriptures (and then, Jesus’ teachings too) as Jesus did. Sadly, this did … Continue reading →

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At the Gate: The Jesus Hermeneutic

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Steve Harper

Sitting at the gate, I continue to see the necessity of interpreting the Bible through the lens of the Gospel. My post this past Monday, “The Gospel Says,” described my thinking in this regard. But in doing so, I recognize … Continue reading →

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