Tag Archives: Mark

Wedding rings on dictionary

Covenants of Love

Preached at Gentle Spirit Christian Church, Atlanta, Ga. Reading: Mark 10:2-16 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” “What did Moses command you?” he replied. They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a

People waving French flag near building

Storming the Modern Bastille

Preached at Gentle Spirit Christian Church, Atlanta, Ga. Reading: Mark 6:14-29 Today’s Gospel reading takes us to one of those biblical scenes that has become such the stuff of legend that most people are able to recite, or at least reference, parts of it whether

Stained glass window image of Jesus

What Jesus’ ‘Coming Out’ Story Says to All of Us

His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. His clothes shimmered, glistening white, whiter than any bleach could make them. Elijah, along with Moses, came into view, in deep conversation with Jesus. Just then a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and from deep

Apple tree in the backyard

The Natural Order of Creation

We have all heard the fundamentalist sound-bite, “It was ‘Adam and Eve,’ not ‘Adam and Steve.’” This saying is shorthand for identifying that the speaker is a believer in the doctrine of the Natural Order of Creation. Just what is this doctrine, and does it

Le Christ et la Cananéenne by Francisco Antolinez y Sarabia

The Syrophoenician Woman | Mark 7:25-29

Part 6 of the 12-part series “Lepers, Loons and Losers: The Outcasts of the Gospels.” Read the rest of the series here. A woman came to him whose little girl was possessed by an evil spirit. (Mark 7:25) I have a confession to make: I

Oh Let the Children Come Unto Me, in the clerestory of Saint Bernard Church, Burkettsville, Ohio

The Little Children and Jesus | Mark 10:14-16

Part 5 of the 12-part series “Lepers, Loons and Losers: The Outcasts of the Gospels.” Read the rest of the series here. “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such that the Kingdom of God belongs…” And

Dirt road near Stonehenge, Salisbury, UK

The Leper on the Road | Mark 1:40-42

Part 2 of the 12-part series “Lepers, Loons and Losers: The Outcasts of the Gospels.” Read the rest of the series here. A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with

LOVE Scrabble letters on bible

The Bible and Homosexuality: Conclusion

Back to Index In summary: Homosexual activity in the temple by male prostitutes is clearly prohibited by the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Homosexual activity in general may have been prohibited at the time by the Holiness Code, but that code is no longer binding on

Man flipping the page of a Bible

Sin of Sodom: The Truth About Sodom and Gomorrah

Editor’s note: For more on this and the other “clobber passages” commonly used to justify scripture-based condemnation of homosexuality, you may also enjoy our essay series “The Bible and Homosexuality.” The supposed ‘Sin of Sodom’ The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is the biblical story