How does one become possessed by a demon?
Voodoo Doll, 4th century : photo credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia Commons "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can…
Demoniacs in the Bible: real or not?
What is demonic possession? It is tempting to try to explain away what the Bible refers to as demonic possession. Some say that demonic…
Jews Vs. Samaritans: What’s the Difference?
The Good Samaritan In The Well, the conflict between Jews and Samaritans is part of the story of Mara, Shem and their journey to…
Jews Vs. Samaritans: Insult and Injury
Last week, we saw how the conflicts between the Jews and Samaritans began. So how did the two warring peoples treat each other, living…
7 Sacred Images of Holy Week
The next few days are the holiest of the liturgical year. Please join me in contemplating seven beautiful works by a few of my…
What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire Him.” Isaiah 53:2b Jesus has been…
Yays, Nays, and LOL tweets from The Bible episode 2
As I mentioned in last week’s post, I give The Bible miniseries on the History Channel an enthusiastic thumbs up. It’s not perfect, but…
5 ways The Bible wins and 5 . . . well, not so much
In which I interrupt my previously scheduled blog post to say a few words about The Bible. How many of you watched the premier…
Wine in Ancient Israel
The word wine is mentioned over 200 times in the Bible, either in a real or symbolic sense. Take, for example, Isaiah 5:11 Woe…
Engagements and Weddings in Biblical Israel
With Valentines Day approaching, romance is in the air. Romance leads to love and —sometimes—love leads to weddings. Who doesn’t love a wedding? What…