If you’re one of the 2 people out there curious about the kinds of things I’m exploring in my doctoral program, here’s an essay from my last seminar on scribes and literacy in the ancient world. This essay addresses the question: “To what extent did literacy play a role in the spiritual development of Paul’s converts?” Enjoy … More Learning & Literacy in Paul’s Churches
I have been deeply influenced by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and have sweet memories of reading his ‘Cost of the Discipleship’ book for the first time in college. I have his portrait framed and hanging above my desk — he watches over me as I write this (along with other formative influences). To underscore my admiration, I lobbied hard … More Bonhoeffer & the Cost of Discipleship
This essay was my first attempt in college at grappling with the issues related to Theodicy, that is, the problem of reconciling the existence of an all-powerful, all-good God with the presence of evil and suffering in the world. Like many, my first exposure to this issue led me to the more traditional view influenced … More ESSAY: A Theology of Suffering (2001)
As a sophomore in college two friends bought me a new study Bible as a gift. I took that Bible to the dining center and began reading the Acts of the Apostles for the first time. Something happened that night as I read this seemingly harmless story of the birth and expansion of the early … More ESSAY: The Collision of Stories: An Exploration in Narrative Theology (2002)
Jeremy L. Berg 