Category Archives: Theology

My Sister, Bible College, and Deprivileging Theology

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Ron Goetz

My sister was born with brain damage. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck.  The doctors waited 24 hours before deciding to perform an emergency C-section. This was fifty-two years ago, before the great advances in fetal monitoring and the massive … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christendom, Christianity, Life and Testimony, Theology | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Everyone Knows God? Even Atheists?

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Ron Goetz

There is one statement in Jeremiah’s prophecy of the new covenant that is probably the toughest one to swallow. “No longer will they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Biggest Lie in Our Bible

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Ron Goetz

There is a lie in our Bible. The lie consists of a deceptive label, a traditional label that contradicts the key feature of the new covenant described by Jeremiah the prophet in a relatively obscure but significant prophecy. The Lying Label: “New Testament” Calling “New Testament” a lying label may seem … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Repentance, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Heresy: My First Time

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Ron Goetz

It happened late one night in the early eighties, five, maybe six, years after I graduated from Simpson. I was sitting in the living room of our first apartment in San Diego. At that time I still had my small student library of Bibles, Bible commentaries, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Religion, Theology | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

Hebrew “Grind” Discussion Continued

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Ron Goetz

Some time ago R.J. Walker disagreed with what I said were three examples of “grind” used as a sexual metaphor in the Hebrew scriptures (Job 31:9-10; Judges 16:20-21; Lamentations 5:13). I want to apologize for not responding sooner. (If you are new to this … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Gay Christians, Homosexuality, Lesbians, Theology, Two Women Grinding Together | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Gospel Fragment Discovery: Jesus and the Scribe

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Ron Goetz

Researchers reported the discovery of a gospel fragment in a remote Southern California seminary that promises to “revolutionize our understanding of the historical Jesus,” according to an article in the latest issue of the Journal of Emergent Literature. The fragment was discovered on a lavender sticky note … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Satire, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Diversity and Conflict, Spiritual Gifts, and Homosexuality

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Ron Goetz

I have puzzled over conflict in the Body of Christ since I was in high school.  Love is supposed to guide and rule us, yet when I encounter hostile rhetoric I am sometimes tempted to jump in and “do battle.” For the last several … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Diversity, Homosexuality, Homosexuality and the Bible, Pastoral Ministry, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Jesus: Concrete Talk about Gays and Lesbians, not Abstract Labels

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Ron Goetz

As you know, most people believe that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality. Whether they believe that homosexuality is a sin worthy of hell or they believe that homosexuality is not a sin, they agree that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality. Actually, Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in Homosexuality, Homosexuality and the Bible, Luke 17:34-35, Rapture, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Religionless Christianity

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Ron Goetz

I became acquainted with the life and works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer at Simpson College. Bonhoeffer was the German Lutheran pastor who took part in a conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Born in 1906, he was 27 years old when Hitler ascended to power in 1933. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Christendom, Christianity, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theology | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Cancellation of the Law: Questions and Objections

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Ron Goetz

I promised to answer some questions people raised when I blogged on Paul’s Cancellation of the Law some weeks ago. If we’re radically freed from the Law and no longer bound by it, then why privilege Leviticus 19’s ‘one law … Continue reading →

Posted in Antinomianism, Bible, Religion, Romans, Theology | Leave a comment