Crime and punishment is so complex, messy and often frustrating. The third season of the podcast Serial does an excellent job exploring the nuances of the criminal justice, as seen through the lens of Cleveland, Ohio. It likely comes as no surprise to you that we humans have a conflicted history of dealing with crime.Continue reading “The messiness of crime [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 4]”
Author Archives: joelkime
Can we learn God’s heart from a ritual for a dead body? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 3]
Imagine the scene. In ancient Israel, a murdered body is found in a field, and no one knows who committed the crime. Who should deal with the body, and how does God want the people to deal with the blood guilt? In this series we’ve been exploring the fascinating ritual God commands the people toContinue reading “Can we learn God’s heart from a ritual for a dead body? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 3]”
Bodies and wadis? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 2]
We have a murder on our hands! In part 1 of this series on crime and punishment in Deuteronomy 21, a dead body has been found. But the murderer can’t be found, or is thus far unknown. God has told Israel that the body bring blood guilt on the land, and as we saw inContinue reading “Bodies and wadis? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 2]”
A biblical murder mystery? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 1]
Do you like crime dramas? Last year I watched a Netflix documentary called Making A Murderer. It was gripping, often feeling like an extended episode of the TV show, Law & Order. There were many interesting characters and plot twists, but in this documentary, all of it was real. No actors. Real interviews. Courtroom andContinue reading “A biblical murder mystery? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 1]”
When trusting in God is scary [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 5]
What will really change the heart of humanity? Fighting wars? No! Only Jesus. So what does trust in God look like when we are faced with strife in our world? Christians should be known as a people who pray deeply for and strive for peace. We should love our enemies. We should seek to shareContinue reading “When trusting in God is scary [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 5]”
Should Christians take up arms? [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 4]
How should Christians view war? We are not the nation of ancient Israel which had a special covenant with God. We are the church, and we are under a new covenant. So from this passage in Deuteronomy, we can learn God’s heart, but we have to also take into consideration the new covenant we haveContinue reading “Should Christians take up arms? [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 4]”
My year without Facebook
On January 1, 2018, I deactivated my Facebook account. I had been an active Facebook user for about eight years, but I was starting a three-month sabbatical from pastoral ministry in my church, and I was concerned that the purposes of the sabbatical would be impeded if I spent time on social media. I alsoContinue reading “My year without Facebook”
The difficulties of holy war passages in the Old Testament [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 3]
In part 1 and part 2 of this series on Deuteronomy 20, we learned that Israel’s priests and army officers are to address the army before battle. Now God gives them some instructions about how to carry out battle. If you aren’t aware of these passages of Scripture, brace yourselves, as they can be shocking.Continue reading “The difficulties of holy war passages in the Old Testament [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 3]”
Soldiers in the garden? [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 2]
Soldiers are hardy, rugged fighters, right? They train to kill, learning not only weaponry, but also hand to hand combat. But what we will find out is that God has some surprising news for Israel’s officers. Some soldiers need to be in their gardens. In part 1 of this series, we read that right beforeContinue reading “Soldiers in the garden? [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 2]”
War & Peace [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 1]
As I was studying Deuteronomy 20 last week, I had songs going through my mind. War songs. Anti-war songs. It is interesting to me that there is in our culture an intersection of war and music. Then again, I suppose music touches all aspects of life. And, perhaps, so does war. I wanted to startContinue reading “War & Peace [Christians & War – Deuteronomy 20, part 1]”
Engaging Scripture 