by Rod Benson | Apr 14, 2020 | Opinion
A fascinating sentence appears at the end of Genesis 4 in the Hebrew Bible. After recording the birth of Enosh, Adam’s grandson by Seth, we read, “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26b). Presumably, this refers to prayer. What were...
by Rod Benson | Jan 8, 2020 | Opinion
Open a Bible near the center, and you will find the Book of Psalms. In many ancient manuscripts, the first psalm was unnumbered, untitled and printed in red ink to indicate that it frames and prefaces the whole Psalter. Psalm 1 is both a wisdom psalm, showing us two...
by Rod Benson | Dec 4, 2019 | Opinion
Good preaching positively unsettles us. It inspires wonder in God’s character and ways. It draws adoring worship from bruised, parched and self-absorbed souls. It encourages new thoughts. Good preaching is a light in the dark. It challenges the status quo, instills...
by Rod Benson and Kristine Morrison | Feb 25, 2015 | Opinion
As worldwide conflict proliferates, the flow of asylum seekers to Australia and other nations around the world is not predicted to ease in the foreseeable future. There are some important facts to consider when evaluating the current debates about asylum. First, it is...
by Rod Benson | Jan 27, 2015 | Opinion
While the New Testament writers adopted and refined the notion of conscience in Greek popular usage, it did not feature prominently in their ethical teaching. Later Christian thinkers, however, had much to say about conscience and developed the biblical concept in...
