This post about the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special “Joy to the World” will contain spoilers, because this is an episode that a religious studies professor who writes about Doctor Who has to comment on, and there’s no way to do so without discussing details, including the ending. The episode “Joy to the World” doesn’t just have the vague holiday connection that Christmas episodes tend to. The Doctor finds himself at the Time Hotel, which allows people to visit Christmas... Read more
Prophetic name tags? Was it curiosity about what this post could possibly be about that led you to click and read it? If so, I trust you won’t be disappointed. There will be a mix of humor and genuine insight into an important story in the New Testament. And music too! (Feel free to check out the music first via this link and get it playing while you read.) When my Sunday school class got up to the story of... Read more
The combined annual meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature in San Diego ( #sblaar24 ) was amazing. Upon arrival I had a chance to reconnect with old friends who were only there that first day before, and to record a short video (because I was running late) with Jacob Berman for his History Valley YouTube channel. The first full day of the conference began with a book review panel about John of History,... Read more
While “I Love To Write Day” sounds like a recently made up holiday, one for which I’m guessing there aren’t even Hallmark cards available, as someone who loves to write, this seemed like a good opportunity to talk about what keeps me doing it. I’m long past the point where my job security depends on producing the level of output that I do. So why do I keep writing? Because I enjoy it, and it is part of the learning... Read more
The American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature (AAR/SBL) is just over a week away. This is turning out to be a busy conference for me. I have sessions I’m presenting in, sessions of program units I co-chair, and things simultaneous with those that I’d also love to be at or should be at. If you will be attending the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting in San Diego, here are things that... Read more
I am certain that in the coming days, I will be talking with a lot of academics, progressives, liberals, and Democrats who are not only grieving because of the United States election results but are baffled by Donald Trump’s reelection. I am sure I will hear a lot of “How can so many people support a fascist who boasted of sexually assaulting women?” I am not baffled, and I’m writing this post to help you understand what happened and how.... Read more
Who do I want to win the election? Anyone who has read my blog or known me for any amount of time will not be expecting me to say “Jesus” or something else of that sort. Some might treat that sort of non-partisan affirmation of Jesus as Lord as deeply spiritual. Yet on even superficial inspection it is clear that Jesus is not on the ballot. Let me say that again, to those who support any of the candidates who... Read more
I am delighted I got the chance to take a look at Garrick Allen‘s important new book, Words Are Not Enough: Paratexts, Manuscripts, and the Real New Testament (Eerdmans 2024) and to get him to provide an interview about it. We tend to think about paratexts differently depending on whether they are ancient or modern. Yet there is so much that connects ancient commentaries and modern ones, for instance, and yet we rarely think of them as similar, much less compare... Read more
Happy Halloween! This article offers an explanation for why modern conservative Christians oppose the celebration of Halloween, a historic Christian holiday, and why Christians should celebrate Halloween, as we have historically. It is for much the same reason that the Puritans opposed the celebration of Christmas. Both are relatively recent phenomena, historically speaking. The short answer is this: opposing societal celebrations and people having fun is a way to make oneself feel righteous, as though one is taking a stand... Read more
There is a lot of misinformation circulating, as usual, after something that happened at a Kamala Harris rally in which she was talking about the fact that you do not need to abandon your deeply held religious beliefs to accept that it should not be the government that decides matters that should be decided by women in consultation with their doctors. Some are claiming that someone shouted “Jesus is Lord” and that Harris responded by saying that they were at... Read more
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