Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.
09/18/26
Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.
09/16/26
The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.
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Donavon Riley
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03/27/26
Lent exists because we are forgetful creatures. We forget how hungry we really are.
03/13/26
Worship never existed as escape from the world, but preparation for life within it.
03/06/26
The Supper doesn’t depend on the faithfulness of the Church. It depends on the faithfulness of Christ.
02/25/26
Christian faith is never a solitary possession. When the congregation confesses, the old speak for the young, the strong for the weak, and the clear-voiced for the trembling.
02/06/26
The Bible isn’t a set of moral examples or religious insights. It’s the record of God’s saving work, fulfilled in Christ, delivered now through words spoken and heard.
01/28/26
This is the third in a series meant to let the Christian tradition speak for itself, the way it has carried Christians through long winters, confusion, and joy for centuries.
01/21/26
Confession isn’t a detour in the liturgy. It’s the doorway.
01/09/26
This is the first in a series meant to let the Christian tradition speak for itself, the way it has carried Christians through long winters, confusion, and joy for centuries.
12/23/25
Lewis once pointed out that Christianity does not begin by telling us how to behave, but by telling us what is wrong.
12/19/25
To know the cure is not to become immune to sorrow.
12/04/25
Illness is not romantic. It is not a test, a metaphor, nor a blessing in disguise.
11/27/25
Thanksgiving, then, is not just about plenty. It is about redemption.
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