Almost all the early Christian Fathers were opposed to the death penalty, even though it was of course standard practice across the ancient world.

Many of the questions we ask God can't be answered directly, not because God doesn't know the answers but because our questions don't make sense. As C.S. Lewis once pointed out, many of our questions are, from God's point of view, rather like someone asking, "Is yellow square or round?" or "How many hours are there is a mile?

Almost all the early Christian Fathers were opposed to the death penalty, even though it was of course standard practice across the ancient world.

I didn't write much until I turned 40. Up until then I felt constrained by a sense of the discipline of New Testament studies and a sense of the ruling elite in theology and biblical studies.

The cross is the place where, and the means by which, God loved us to the uttermost.

God has taken us utterly seriously. How can we not do the same with him?

Looking back to the earlier centuries of the church, most of the great teachers were also bishops and vice versa. It's only fairly recently that the church has had this great divide.