Brinton’s Bridges
Idolatry Today
Deuteronomy is the fifth book the Bible, the end of the section called The Pentateuch, which simply means “five books.” The Pentateuch is often called the “Five Books of Moses” or the Torah, a Hebrew word that means “instructions.” With the wandering in the wilderness...
When Serpents Strike
Because it is filled with many numbers and census lists, the fourth book of the Bible is called “Numbers.” Early in the first chapter, God says to Moses, “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israelites” (Num 1:2). But the Hebrew tradition calls the book...
Idolatry or Love
The Book of Leviticus gets its name from the Levitical priests who served as leaders of religious services among the people of Israel. Leviticus contains a mix of religious, civil and moral regulations, and at the heart of the book is chapter 19, which contains rules...
Faith and the Work of Liberation
At the heart of the Book of Exodus is the story of the Israelites escaping Egyptian bondage. This story is central to Jewish faith and identity, remembered each year in the celebration of Passover. The word exodus is from Greek and means “going out”—that is, going out...
God is Love
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18). That’s what God said to the people of Israel in the book of Leviticus. As far as formulas go, it’s terrific. For thousands of years, it has worked well in most of the world’s religions. Hindus affirm that “one...
Coram Deo
Zephaniah was a prophet during the reign of King Josiah in the seventh century before Christ. The prophet announced God’s judgment on Judah and Jerusalem, saying that God would cut off “the idolatrous priests” (Zeph 1:4), but he also predicted judgment on enemy...
Words Create Reality
The first book in the Bible is all about beginnings. Bereshit is the first Hebrew word in the book, translated into English as “in the beginning,” which gives the book its name in the Jewish tradition. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, the book was...
Be a Galilean
For the scripture lesson, Harley Camden read from fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. “Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea,” he intoned, pointing up to the...
One Spirit-filled body
One Sunday morning, a rock was thrown through the window of the Riverview Bakery. A few hours later, Harley Camden was standing before his congregation, which was surprisingly large for August. Harley read the scripture verse from First Corinthians and admitted that...
Spirit in Community
Harley Camden ran into his friend Tawnya Jones at Auntie’s Pie Shop. “So, what are you up to today,” asked Tawnya, “besides drinking coffee?” “Writing my Sunday sermon,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “I’m wrestling with Paul’s letter to the Romans.” “The one who...
Encountering Jesus
The bishop stepped out of her office in Alexandria and greeted Harley Camden. She was nothing if not perfectly punctual and looked as handsome as ever in a light-blue blouse with clerical collar, black skirt, and black heels. Harley stood, shook her hand, noted that...
Christian hospitality
As soon as they sat down for dinner, Youssef Ayad offered a prayer. “Be with us, Lord Jesus, as you were with your first followers in the breaking of the bread. Bless this food to our use and ourselves to your service. Amen.” His wife Sofia passed Harley Camden a...