xbn .

Tag: Richard Davis

The Politics of Nations and Boundaries—Acts 17:22-31 (Richard Davis)

Paul’s statements concerning the peoples in his Areopagus speech in Athens have historically been used as justification for racism and Apartheid. There are, however, other ways to understand his claims.

The Politics of God’s Reconciliation—Romans 5:1-11 (Richard Davis)

In Romans, Paul speaks of a God of reconciliation, who makes friends of enemies. Principles of reconciliation and of the love of enemies have often been quarantined from the political realm in systems of political thought that prioritize the enemy-friend polarity. However, a politics of love for enemies and of reconciliation with a creation from which we have become alienated may never have been more urgent.

The Politics of Identifying Jesus and John the Baptist—Matthew 11:2-11 (Richard Davis)

The interconnected identities of Jesus and John the Baptist are a matter of speculation in the Gospel of Matthew. The truth is revealed through the fulfilment Old Testament prophecy and against the foil of the brutal rule of Herod.

The Politics of the Works and Fear of the Lord—Psalm 111 (Richard Davis)

Psalm 111, which may seem disjointed and a collection of sayings, does, however, offer a consistent political teaching. It emphasizes politics in virtuous imitation of God in his works and the rejection of the politics of fear.

The Politics of Unity, Division, and Discernment—Luke 12:49-56 (Richard Davis)

Jesus, against our expectations, comes to bring division in places where unity formerly existed. He calls us to be attentive to the way the winds of our age are blowing.

The Politics of Divine Coup Makers—1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 (Richard Davis)

Framed merely as a story about the call to discipleship, and omitting verses 17-18, the fact that God is instigating political coups through his prophets in this passage could easily be missed if we didn’t consider the scriptural context of this week’s lectionary reading. Reflecting upon this passage and the ensuing events, we can learn something about God’s relationship to political rule.

The Politics of the City and the Sea—Revelation 21:1-6 (Richard Davis)

Revelation 21:1-6 contains a dramatic vision of the new Jerusalem, the eschatological city. Unfortunately, the sea enjoys at best an ambiguous status within this new creation, raising important questions for peoples whose life depends upon the oceans.

The Politics of God’s Ways and the Politics of Our Ways—Isaiah 55:1–9 (Richard Davis)

God’s way are qualitatively different from ours, belonging to a different order, relativizing human good and exposing human evil. Isaiah’s vision presents and invites people to God’s way of abundance, mercy, and inclusion from their own ways of scarcity, revenge, and exclusion.

The Politics of Public Wisdom—Proverbs 1:20-33 (Richard Davis)

Wisdom’s publicly raised voice challenges the simple ones, who love being simple; the scoffers, who delight in their scoffing; and the fools, who hate knowledge. The reproof of Wisdom is especially relevant in the contemporary political world, where so many of our leaders and politicians thrive upon such popular attitudes.

The Politics of Fearing God—Psalm 34:9-14 (Richard Davis)

The psalmist calls us to the fear of the Lord, offering us the secret to its pursuit. Straightforward though it may be, the psalm’s challenge to avoid evil-speaking, deceit, and to depart from wickedness and pursue peace would have seismic effects for our political landscape were we to commit ourselves to it.

The Politics of Getting Justice and Peace to Kiss—Psalm 85:8-13 (Richard Davis)

Psalm 85 speaks of the meeting of justice and peace in a kiss in God’s new order. While we often futilely pursue such a goal through our politics, in Scripture we see its fulfilment through the cross.