Paul N Anderson

George Fox University, Religious Studies, Faculty Member

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Address: George Fox University
414 N Meridian
Newberg, OR 97132

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Papers by Paul N Anderson

Response to the Reviews of Following Jesus

Quaker Religious Thought, 2014

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Spotlight: The Spirituality of Jesus as a Calling, Part II

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A Dynamic Christocentricity -- The Center of Faithful Praxis

Quaker Religious Thought, 2005

T about the heart of Quaker faith and practice is a venture fraught with perplexities. Our models... more T about the heart of Quaker faith and practice is a venture fraught with perplexities. Our models for analysis all have their shortcomings, but so does the refusal to address the issue or to employ a model if one does address it. One could approach the venture by identifying an outline of faith assertions, accompanied by a list of lifestyle commitments. Indeed, most of our yearly meeting disciplines do exactly that. In fact, many of them are called a given Yearly Meeting’s “Faith and Practice.” At least there’s still truth in advertising somewhere!

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The Meeting for Worship in which Business is Conducted- Quaker Decision-Making Process as a Factor of Spiritual Discernment

Quaker Religious Thought, 2006

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Antidocetic Christology in the Gospel of John: An Investigation of the Place of the Fourth Gospel in the Johannine School -- Book Review

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Antichristic Errors: Flawed Interpretations Regarding the Johannine Antichrist

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Cadbury, Henry J(Oel) (1883-1974)

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An Incarnational Sacramentalogy

Quaker Religious Thought, 2007

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Let Your Lives Speak: A Report of the World Gathering of Young Let Your Lives Speak: A Report of the World Gathering of Young

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The Universal Light, or the Only Way to the Father? Universalism and Exclusivism in John's Provocative Christology

Religions 2024, 15, 204. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15020204, 2024

Between the universalism of John 1:9 and the particularism of John 14:6 stands John 6:44--no one ... more Between the universalism of John 1:9 and the particularism of John 14:6 stands John 6:44--no one can come except being drawn by the Father--an eschatological manifestation of the Divine Initiative, which Jesus as the Messiah/Christ conveys and is.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

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“The Life and Contribution of Peder Borgen—A Royally Distinguished Biblical Scholar”

Crossing Borders: The Life and Work of Peder Borgen in Context, by Torrey Seland, 2022

Here I reflect on the amazing life of Professor Peder Borgen, who received a knighthood from the ... more Here I reflect on the amazing life of Professor Peder Borgen, who received a knighthood from the King of Norway for his outstanding New Testament scholarship, including his work on Philo of Alexandria and the Gospel of John. It was a privilege also to have published his Yale PhD Thesis on John 6 in the Johannine Monograph Series (Wipf & Stock): Bread from Heaven.

“The Life and Contribution of Peder Borgen—A Royally Distinguished Biblical Scholar,” Crossing Borders: The Life and Work of Peder Borgen in Context, by Torrey Seland (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2022), ix-xiv.

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"First Sunday after Christmas Day," Christian Century Lectionary December 31, 2023

Christian Century, December, 2023

Expanding on Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatians 4:4-7, this Lectionary devotional expands up... more

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"Nativity of the Lord," Christian Century Lectionary December 24/25, 2023

Christian Century, December, 2023

Christian Century, December 2023, p. 28. Building on Isa 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14, this Le... more

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"D. Elton Trueblood: Dean of American Religious Writing" and "Foreword" to A Place to Stand by D. Elton Trueblood

The new edition of A Place to Stand by my mentor, D. Elton Trueblood, is now available in paperba... more The new edition of A Place to Stand by my mentor, D. Elton Trueblood, is now available in paperback, published by Barclay Press (Newberg, OR), 2023. The second edition, which I edited, was published by HarperOne in 2014. The page numbers are 7-15 for "D. Elton Trueblood: Dean of American Religious Writing," and 17-20 for "Foreword" to A Place to Stand . The book is Trueblood's quarter-century-later sequel to Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

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"The Bible in the Religious Society of Friends---On Reading and Being Read by the Inspired Text: Taking the Bible Personally"

Published by the World Council of Churches in Your World is Truth, Volume 2: The Bible in Christi... more

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Christ, The Center

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Alternatives to Violence—Leadership and Truth

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Front Matter -- Quaker Religious Thought, nos. 116-117

Quaker Religious Thought, 2006

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Contributions of this Volume and the De-Johannification of Jesus (Chapter in John, Jesus, and History, Volume 3)

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"On Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, and Walking Humbly in Micah 6:8--The Peaceable Ways of Israel's God, Then and Now"

A Sage in New Haven, in Honor of Robert R. Wilson; AUAT 117, 2023

This essay, in honor of Yale's Robert Wilson, explores Micah 6:8 as representing the peaceable wa... more This essay, in honor of Yale's Robert Wilson, explores Micah 6:8 as representing the peaceable ways of Israel's God--doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly before God--as the epitome of the Mosaic Law and the central teaching of Jesus. In embracing these values and living them out, a vision of prosperity--each one living under one's vine and fig tree--is advance with acute relevance, both then and now.

Paul N. Anderson, “On Doing Justice, Loving Kindness, and Walking Humbly in Micah 6:8—The Peaceable Ways of Israel’s God, Then and Now.” A Sage in New Haven: Essays on the Prophets, the Writings, and the Ancient World in Honor of Robert R. Wilson. Edited by Alison Acker Gruseke and Carolyn J. Sharp. Ägypten und Altes Testament 117 (Münster: Zaphon, 2023), 157-167.

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Response to the Reviews of Following Jesus

Quaker Religious Thought, 2014

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Spotlight: The Spirituality of Jesus as a Calling, Part II

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A Dynamic Christocentricity -- The Center of Faithful Praxis

Quaker Religious Thought, 2005

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The Meeting for Worship in which Business is Conducted- Quaker Decision-Making Process as a Factor of Spiritual Discernment

Quaker Religious Thought, 2006

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Antidocetic Christology in the Gospel of John: An Investigation of the Place of the Fourth Gospel in the Johannine School -- Book Review

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Antichristic Errors: Flawed Interpretations Regarding the Johannine Antichrist

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Cadbury, Henry J(Oel) (1883-1974)

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An Incarnational Sacramentalogy

Quaker Religious Thought, 2007

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Let Your Lives Speak: A Report of the World Gathering of Young Let Your Lives Speak: A Report of the World Gathering of Young

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The Universal Light, or the Only Way to the Father? Universalism and Exclusivism in John's Provocative Christology

Religions 2024, 15, 204. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15020204, 2024

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“The Life and Contribution of Peder Borgen—A Royally Distinguished Biblical Scholar”

Crossing Borders: The Life and Work of Peder Borgen in Context, by Torrey Seland, 2022

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"First Sunday after Christmas Day," Christian Century Lectionary December 31, 2023

Christian Century, December, 2023

Expanding on Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatians 4:4-7, this Lectionary devotional expands up... more

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"Nativity of the Lord," Christian Century Lectionary December 24/25, 2023

Christian Century, December, 2023

Christian Century, December 2023, p. 28. Building on Isa 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14, this Le... more

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"D. Elton Trueblood: Dean of American Religious Writing" and "Foreword" to A Place to Stand by D. Elton Trueblood

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"The Bible in the Religious Society of Friends---On Reading and Being Read by the Inspired Text: Taking the Bible Personally"

Published by the World Council of Churches in Your World is Truth, Volume 2: The Bible in Christi... more

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Christ, The Center

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Alternatives to Violence—Leadership and Truth

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Front Matter -- Quaker Religious Thought, nos. 116-117

Quaker Religious Thought, 2006

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Contributions of this Volume and the De-Johannification of Jesus (Chapter in John, Jesus, and History, Volume 3)

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"On Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, and Walking Humbly in Micah 6:8--The Peaceable Ways of Israel's God, Then and Now"

A Sage in New Haven, in Honor of Robert R. Wilson; AUAT 117, 2023

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"On Thomas and Evidence--No Doubt!"

My sixth review of CNN's second series on "Finding Jesus," published by The Bible and Interpretat... more

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Raising Lazarus: Climax or Prequel

My second review of the CNN Finding Jesus 2 series. Published on The Bible and Interpretation web... more

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Can Any Good Thing Come From Nazareth? The Childhood Home of Jesus

The third episode of CNN's second season on Finding Jesus focuses on Nazareth, the childhood home... more

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"Herod the Great, or Herod the Terrible?"

The fourth episode of CNN's " Finding Jesus " second season focuses on King Herod, who ruled in J... more The fourth episode of CNN's " Finding Jesus " second season focuses on King Herod, who ruled in Judea from 37-4 BC. In the Gospel of Matthew, Herod is portrayed as a ruthless, self-absorbed king, who slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem—two years old and younger—because he was threatened by the quest of the Magi. If the wise men coming from the East were seeking the newborn " king of the Jews, " might this imply eventual competition for Herod's throne? Matthew portrays the wise men being led by a dream to return without informing Herod of their findings; hence his being threatened, and thus his ruthless response. While the biblical presentation of Herod is of a terrible and violent ruler, however, he was clearly an effective and important leader from a political standpoint. He launched many important building campaigns throughout Judea, and ruled Palestine in cooperation with the Romans (albeit as a puppet king, according to Mark Goodacre). He ruled effectively for over three decades, creating a stable period for growth and enterprise, and he is thus remembered as the greatest Jewish king directly following the Hasmonean Dynasty. That being the case, should he retain his appellation as " Herod the Great, " or should he be considered " Herod the Terrible, " as presented in the Gospel of Matthew? This is the question raised by the CNN episode on Herod, and the possible discovery of his tomb in the Herodion might provide a clue. Published on The Bible and Interpretation site on 3/27/17: http://www.bibleinterp.com/articles/2017/03/and418027.shtml

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"A Few Bones to Pick: Peter and His Significance"

My 5th review of CNN's second "Finding Jesus" series. Published on The Bible and Interpretation s... more

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"Jesus: His Life--Perspectives of Joseph and John the Baptist"

The Bible and Interpretation , 2019

A review of the first two episodes of The History Channel's eight-part treatment of "Jesus: His L... more

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"Jesus: His Life from the Perspectives of Mary and Caiaphas (Pt. 2)"

The Bible and Interpretation, 2019

My second review of the History Channel's "Jesus: His Life" posted on The Bible and Interpretatio... more

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"Jesus: His Life from the Perspectives of Judas and Pilate" (Pt. 3), Published on The Bible and Interpretation (April 9, 2019) https://bibleinterp.arizona.edu/articles/jesus-his-life-perspectives-judas-and-pilate-pt-3

The Bible and Interpretation, 2019

The third review of Episodes 5 and 6 in the History Channel's "Jesus: His Life" series, March and... more

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"Jesus: His Life from the Perspectives of Mary Magdalene and the Apostle Peter" (Pt. 4)

The Bible and Interpretation, 2019

My fourth review of the "Jesus: His Life" series on the History Channel (March-April, 2019), publ... more

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"Foreword" to A Place to Stand by D. Elton Trueblood, revised edition (2014)

Of his 37 books, A Place to Stand is the most important book written by D. Elton Trueblood--regar... more Of his 37 books, A Place to Stand is the most important book written by D. Elton Trueblood--regarded "the dean of American religious writing" in the mid-late 20th century. Written as a philosophic sequel to Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, this challenge to intellectually inadequate rejections of theism remains a classic of modern religious literature. This revised edition is the second of several of Trueblood's most important works being re-issued by HarperOne--available now in e-book format.

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Foreword to "The Book of Acts in History" by Henry J. Cadbury

This foreword to the re-issuing of "The Book of Acts in History" by Henry J. Cadbury (Eugene, OR:... more

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Foreword to "Jesus: What Manner of Man?" by Henry J. Cadbury

This foreword to the new edition of "Jesus: What Manner of Man?" (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2008)... more This foreword to the new edition of "Jesus: What Manner of Man?" (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2008) introduces one of Henry J. Cadbury's two important contribution to the modern quest for Jesus during a period often called the "No Quest" period between the first quest for Jesus and the "New Quest" beginning in 1951. It was first delivered as the 1946 Shaffer Lectures at Yale Divinity School, and it focuses on the questions asked of Jesus in the Gospels with implications for later interpreters.

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Foreword to "The Making of Luke-Acts" by Henry J. Cadbury

Arguably the most important book by Henry J. Cadbury, this foreword to his The Making of Luke-Act... more

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Foreword to the 2007 edition of Henry J. Cadbury ’s "The Peril of Modernizing Jesus "

This is the foreword to "The Peril of Modernizing Jesus" by Henry J. Cadbury (Eugene: Wipf & Stoc... more

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"Foreword" to The Gospel of John: A Commentary, by Rudolf Bultmann, Johannine Monograph Series 1 (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2014), i-xxviii

This is my extensive introduction to Bultmann's commentary on John as the first volume in the Joh... more

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"Foreword" to John's Gospel in New Perspective, by Richard J. Cassidy, Johannine Monograph Series 3 (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2015), ix-xxiii

Johannine Monograph Series, 2015

In this introduction to the new edition of Richard Cassidy's book on the Roman backdrop of John's... more

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"On Wading with Children and Swimming with Elephants—Navigating the Living Waters of the Gospel of John"

This is an expanded version of Navigating the Living Waters of the Gospel of John (Pendle Hill Pa... more This is an expanded version of Navigating the Living Waters of the Gospel of John (Pendle Hill Pamphlet 352, Wallingford, PA: Pendle Hill Press, 2000). It outlines how the Johannine narrative is constructed rhetorically so as to evoke belief among its audiences: presenting Jesus' signs, witnesses, and the fulfilled word.

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The Gospel According to Mark

This is the third chapter of my contextual introduction to the New Testament, From Crisis to Chri... more This is the third chapter of my contextual introduction to the New Testament, From Crisis to Christ (Nashville, TN: 2014), 51-74. It was published on the Bible and Interpretation site, May 2015 as an example of my new approach to biblical studies, which I call "second criticality." That essay is also posted on the Bible and Interpretation site.

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Second Criticality — An Interdisciplinary Approach to the New Testament and its Contexts

Second Criticality is how I describe my interdisciplinary approach to the New Testament in From C... more Second Criticality is how I describe my interdisciplinary approach to the New Testament in From Crisis to Christ (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 2014), x-xii. It is introduced in an essay on the Bible and Interpretation site, May 2015, and my chapter on the Gospel of Mark in contextual perspective is also posted as an example of how this approach is carried forth.

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"Excursus I: A Bi-Optic Hypothesis--A Theory of Gospel Relations"

This essay builds upon a basic Synoptic Hypothesis, in keeping with what most scholars believe to... more This essay builds upon a basic Synoptic Hypothesis, in keeping with what most scholars believe to be the relations between the Synoptic traditions; distinctive, however, is the adding of the Johannine tradition to the mix, featuring Mark and John as "the Bi-Optic Gospels" and developing a new overall theory of gospel relations with John IN the mix. Put succinctly, Matthew and Mark built upon Mark; John (at least its first edition) built AROUND Mark. John is different in purpose. Published in my new contextual introduction to the New Testament: From Crisis to Christ (Nashville: Abingdon, 2014), 102-126.

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"Excursus II: The Historical Quest for Jesus"

As the second excursus in my contextual introduction to the New Testament (From Crisis to Christ,... more As the second excursus in my contextual introduction to the New Testament (From Crisis to Christ, Nashville: Abingdon, 2014, pp. 168-176), this essay outlines an overview of various quests for Jesus, including the renewed look at John within the mix of historical resources--including new criteria for determining historicity WITH John in the mix.

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"John 17—The Original Intention of Jesus for the Church"

This essay is a Foreword by Paul N. Anderson to Ernst Käsemann's The Testament of Jesus, translat... more This essay is a Foreword by Paul N. Anderson to Ernst Käsemann's The Testament of Jesus, translated by Gerhard Krodel, The Johannine Monograph Series, Vol. 6 (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2017) xi-xxxviii. It considers the life story of Ernst Käsemann, including his resistance to Nazi Germany and liberal theology, while at the same time analyzing critically his controversial claims in this book and the ensuing discussions among New Testament scholars over the next half century--with important implications for church leadership and Christian discipleship. Uncorrected proofs, here.

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"The Itinerary of The Prophet-King by Wayne Meeks" a Foreword by Paul N. Anderson

This is the new introduction (uncorrected proofs) to The Prophet-King by Wayne A. Meeks, first pu... more

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"Peder Borgen’s Bread from Heaven—Midrashic Developments in John 6 as a Case Study in John’s Unity and Disunity," A Foreword to Bread from Heaven

This essay is a foreword to the third edition of Peder Borgen's classic monograph: Bread from Hea... more

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John, Jesus, and History, Vol. 3: Jesus Remembered Through the Johannine Lens

by Paul N Anderson and Felix Just Sj

In the third volume in the John, Jesus, and History central series, our third volume challenges t... more In the third volume in the John, Jesus, and History central series, our third volume challenges the de-Johannification of Jesus in modern Jesus research. Edited by Paul N. Anderson, Felix Just, S.J., and Tom Thatcher, ECL 18 (Atlanta: SBL Press, 2016), this volume features the contributions of 29 top scholars internationally on glimpses of Jesus through the Johannine lens in the final days, the works, and the message of Jesus of Nazareth.

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Truth's Bright Embrace: Essays and Poems in Honor of Arthur O. Roberts (Paul N. Anderson and Howard R. Macy, eds.)

by Howard Macy and Paul N Anderson

In this collection of essays honoring Arthur Roberts' 40+ years of teaching at George Fox Univers... more

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Navigating the Living Waters of the Gospel of John

This Pendle Hill Pamphlet (#352, Wallingford, PA: Pendle Hill Press, 2000, 2013) outlines the rhe... more This Pendle Hill Pamphlet (#352, Wallingford, PA: Pendle Hill Press, 2000, 2013) outlines the rhetorical thrust of the Fourth Gospel, including elements designed to lead the reader into belief. This is an expanded version of that essay--see "On Wading with Children and Swimming With Elephants--Navigating the Living Waters of the Gospel of John" in the essay section, above.

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Following Jesus: The Heart of Faith and Practice

Newberg: Barclay Press, 2013.

The Riddles of the Fourth Gospel: An Introduction to John

This introduction to the Gospel of John lays out three dozen of the leading Johannine riddles, in... more This introduction to the Gospel of John lays out three dozen of the leading Johannine riddles, including theological, historical, and literary problems that have puzzled scholars over the centuries. In addition to assessing the strengths and weaknesses of leading theories of John's composition, this book summarizes my own overall theory, which I call John's dialogical autonomy. Published by Fortress Press in 2011, this book is a service to all readers: students and scholars alike.

"The Journey that Changed the World"

The Christmas Eve devotional essay, published by the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust (pages 83-85 ... more

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"Ethiopian Lives Matter--The Social Conscience of The Saint John's Bible III"

In anticipation of the celebration of MLK's legacy, this essay features the striking painting of ... more In anticipation of the celebration of MLK's legacy, this essay features the striking painting of "Adam and Eve" in Vol. 1 of The Saint John's Bible--featuring Adam and Eve as Ethiopian tribespersons. If we envisioned our shared humanity in interracial perspective, might that challenge our ethocentrism and racial blinders? Possibly so. Posted on Huffington Post, January 15, 2016: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-n-anderson/ethiopian-lives-matterthe_b_8984332.html

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"Alternatives to Violence—Leadership and Truth"

Jesus's kingdom is one of truth; therefore, it cannot be furthered by force or violence. Effectiv... more Jesus's kingdom is one of truth; therefore, it cannot be furthered by force or violence. Effective leadership, therefore, is a function truth; the truth is always liberating. Part 4 of a book-length project on Truth and Liberation; see Huffington Post essays on this subject: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/panderso-792

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"Truth and Liberation—The Freedom of Integrity"

Living in the truth is liberating on many levels; one has nothing to hide, one can be transparent... more

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"The Trial of Pilate—A Touchstone to the Death of Jesus"

The first of six reviews of the 2017 CNN series on Finding Jesus, this essay shows how Pilate's t... more

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Compassionate Concern--Seeing Truth in the Face of the Other

This is a draft of the third chapter of my forthcoming book, Truth and Liberation, focusing on ho... more

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"Authentic Worship--Glimpsing the Truth of God"

Is the third chapter in my forthcoming book, Truth and Liberation, featured on Huffington Post 10... more

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"Truth and Liberation, Chapter 1: Personal Transformation"

This is the opening of the first of five chapters on Truth and Liberation--Personal Transformatio... more

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Truth and Liberation 1.2, But, How Do We Proceed

This is the third part of the introduction to the larger project: Truth and Liberation, published... more

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Truth and Liberation 1.HP.docx

This essay, published on Huffington Post, is the first of several I intend to write--on the way t... more

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"The Social Conscience of The Saint John's Bible II--On Syrian Refugees and the Reversals of Christmas"

Drawing upon the striking artwork of The Saint John's Bible, this essay, posted on Huffington Pos... more

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“Seven Days with Pope Francis and The Saint John’s Bible”

In conjunction with Pope Francis' "Mission of Love" to Cuba and the United States, the Saint John... more In conjunction with Pope Francis' "Mission of Love" to Cuba and the United States, the Saint John's Community has organized "Illuminating the Mission"--seven days of reflection on images and biblical texts from The Saint John's Bible--as a means of honoring his visit. George Fox University is also supporting this program, and Paul Anderson will contribute brief reflections on each of the images, as well.

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"Seven Days of Illumination"

This essay featuring the artistic work, Creation, in The Saint John's Bible introduces a week of ... more

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"The Creation of the Cosmos"

As the first of seven reflections on The Saint John's Bible, this essay focuses on Donald Jackson... more

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“God’s Promises to Abraham…and the World”

As Day 2 of "Illuminating the Mission" in support of Pope Francis' visit to the USA, The Saint Jo... more As Day 2 of "Illuminating the Mission" in support of Pope Francis' visit to the USA, The Saint John's Bible project focuses on God's promises to Abraham, Sarah, and the world in Genesis. But, can the families of Abraham--Judaism, Christianity, Islam--be a blessing to the world rather than a curse? This is the pressing question for all members of those families in fulfilling God's promises.

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"Commandments of Love"

On Day 3 of "Illuminating the Mission," The Saint John's Bible project honors Pope Francis' Missi... more On Day 3 of "Illuminating the Mission," The Saint John's Bible project honors Pope Francis' Mission of Love to the Americas by featuring the Ten Commandments. This reflection argues that these standards reflect God's love for humanity, and in seeking to abide by them, humans' love for God and one another are actualized.

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"The Rock of the Church"

Peter's confession in all four Gospels is linked with the willingness to follow Jesus faithfully,... more

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"The Feeding of the Multitudes"

The feeding of the 5,000, the only miracle of Jesus in all four Gospels, invites us to participat... more

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"The Outpouring of the Spirit"

Day 7 of "Illuminating the Mission" of Pope Francis. Was the greatest wonder of Pentecost the win... more Day 7 of "Illuminating the Mission" of Pope Francis. Was the greatest wonder of Pentecost the wind, fire, and languages, or was it the gift of being able to discern the meaning of those speaking in other languages? In sharing what they had with those in need, the commonwealth of the early church makes it a new day for the world.

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"The Healing of the World"

Day 6 of the Saint John's Bible focus on "Illuminating the Mission"--honoring the "Mission of Lov... more

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Remembering T. Vail Palmer, Jr.

Quaker Religious Thought #137 (2021): 27-32, 2021

An appreciation for the life of T. Vail Palmer, Jr. (1927-2021), a premier Quaker theologian over... more

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"Inspiring Readings of The Inspired Text Taking the Bible Personally After the Manner of Friends'

Quaker Religious Thought 134, pp. 11-24, 2020

This essay shows how early Friends felt themselves engaged existentially in the reading of biblic... more

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"The Relation between Content and Experience In George Fox' s Theology of Encounter"

Pages 39-52 in Truth’s Bright Embrace: Essays and Poems in Honor of Arthur O. Roberts (Newberg: George Fox University Press, 1996), 1996

Remarkable connections abound between the formative insights and early prophetic openings of Geor... more Remarkable connections abound between the formative insights and early prophetic openings of George Fox and the content of his message delivered on Firbank Fell (1652) signalling the launching of the world-impacting Quaker movement. Query: how do one's transformative experiences and discoveries set the course for vocational direction and one's purpose for living?

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"A Theology of Presence"

Evangelical Friend 26/6, July/August (1993): 4, 1993

God is present; that's central to the biblical witness and the gospel.

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"Christian Unity Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ: A New Vision of Catholicity"

Quaker Religious Thought, 2006

This essay in Quaker Religious Thought #106-107 (Nov. 2006): 107-114 describes my response to Pop... more This essay in Quaker Religious Thought #106-107 (Nov. 2006): 107-114 describes my response to Pope John Paul II's Encyclical (Ut Unum Sint, 1995), inviting new ways forward toward Christian Unity, as requested by Cardinal Kasper. It was commissioned by the Secretary of the NCCC Faith and Order Commission, and published in One in Christ 17 (2005); I presented it in person to Pope Benedict in October of 2006.

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"One Response after Another"

Friends Journal , 2006

A response to Newton Garver's review of my response to the Vatican, as requested by Cardinal Kasp... more A response to Newton Garver's review of my response to the Vatican, as requested by Cardinal Kasper, inviting responses to Pope John Paul II's 1995 encyclical asking if there were a "new day" for Christian unity worldwide.
Paul N. Anderson, “One Response after Another,” Friends Journal VOLUME 52, NO. 9 (September 1, 2006): 22-24; Newton Garver, “One Quaker's Response to the Pope,” Friends Journal VOLUME 52, NO. 9 (September 1, 2006): 20-23

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"Elizabeth Fry--A Note-Worthy Friend"

The Connection, Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends, 2019

Her picture is on the five-pound British note. She brought about prison reform in Britain. Her sc... more Her picture is on the five-pound British note. She brought about prison reform in Britain. Her school of nursing inspired Florence Nightingale. She was the first woman to address Parliament. She was visited in her prison-reform work by the King of Prussia. She was a recorded Friends minister who provided Bibles for people, established organizations for social reform, pioneered women’s suffrage, and who was sponsored by Queen Victoria. Her name was Elizabeth Fry—a note-worthy Friend, indeed!

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Meet the Friends_3rd.edition.2011.pdf

First published in 1982 by Barclay Press, the Meet the Friends Series has been a leading introduc... more First published in 1982 by Barclay Press, the Meet the Friends Series has been a leading introduction to the Quaker movement. The third edition (2011, Newberg, OR: Barclay Press) makes a correction or two and illumines the complexion of Friends around the world, in addition to clarifying the difference between Christian Testimonies Friends have upheld and their distinctive expressions.

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"John Bellers (1654-1725): 'A Veritable Phenomenon in the History of Political Economy'"

Quakers, Business and Corporate Responsibility—Lessons and Cases for Responsible Management (eds., Nicholas Burton and Richard Turnbull), 2019

"John Bellers (1654-1725): 'A Veritable Phenomenon in the History of Political Economy'." Pages 1... more "John Bellers (1654-1725): 'A Veritable Phenomenon in the History of Political Economy'." Pages 153-81 in Quakers, Business and Corporate Responsibility—Lessons and Cases for Responsible Management, edited by Nicholas Burton and Richard Turnbull (London: Springer, 2019).

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-04034-5_10

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"Foreword" to Robert Barclay's A Catechism and Confession of Faith

"Foreword" by Paul Anderson, A Catechism and Confession of Faith by Robert Barclay, A New Edition by Dean Freiday and Arthur O. Roberts, 2001

This is my foreword to A Catechism and Confession of Faith by Robert Barclay, a New Edition, Edit... more This is my foreword to A Catechism and Confession of Faith by Robert Barclay, a New Edition, Edited in Modern English, by Dean Freiday and Arthur O. Roberts (Newberg, OR: Barclay Press, 2001), pp. 9-12. Note Robert Barclay's engagement with the Westminster Confession; in this new edition, Freiday and Roberts have helpfully spelled out the biblical texts Barclay employed, letting the Scriptures speak for themselves on 14 central Christian themes, including aspects of biblical authority, theological themes, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.

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Foreword to George Fox' s 'Book of Miracles'

George Fox's Book of Miracles, edited by Henry J. Cadbury

This is a historical-critical analysis of George Fox's Book of Miracles, edited by Henry J. Cadbu... more

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"The Formative Spirituality of John Punshon"

A tribute to John Punshon (draft, Quaker Studies 22.2, 2017, 219-25). John Punshon has been one o... more A tribute to John Punshon (draft, Quaker Studies 22.2, 2017, 219-25). John Punshon has been one of the premier Quaker historians and spokes-persons over the last four decades. Serving as Quaker Tutor at Woodbrooke, Visiting Professor of Quaker Studies at George Fox University and the first Geraldine Leatherock Chair of Quaker Studies at the Earlham School of Religion, John Punshon has contributed greatly to present historical and theological understandings of the Quaker movement, and he will be greatly missed. From his childhood experiences in a local church whilst living with his grandparents during the War to his education at Oxford, his public and political service and his development into a leading interpreter of Quaker history, faith and practice, his own reflections, shared at Milton Keynes Friends Meeting in 2003, provide a basis for understanding the origins of his thought and convictions as represented more extensively in his writings and spoken ministries. He will be greatly missed, but his contributions extend beyond the boundaries of space and time.

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Testimonies of Truth: What Have Quakers Believed through 350 Years

"Testimonies of Truth." Christian History #117, January 2016. An essay on the Quaker Testimonies... more

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"The Spiritual Formation of Young John Woolman"

This essay was published in The Tendering Presence: Essays on John Woolman, edited by Michael Hel... more This essay was published in The Tendering Presence: Essays on John Woolman, edited by Michael Heller (Wallingford, PA: Pendle Hill Press, 2003, pp. 17-44). As an analysis of Woolman's spiritual development, this essay tracks the influences upon his life, as reported in his journal, and gathers wisdom from those reported experiences.

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"Continuing Revelation—Gospel or Heresy?”

This essay explores the question as to whether a doctrine of continuing revelation has been a goo... more This essay explores the question as to whether a doctrine of continuing revelation has been a good thing or a bad thing within the Quaker movement. Indeed, being open to God's truth as disclosed authentically through scripture, church history, reason, personally, and corporately is central to the Gospel of Christ, who continues to teach his followers through the Holy Spirit. And yet, appeals to personal authority have been central to the seven leading Quaker divisions in ways that are instructive. Published in Quaker Perspectives: Good and Evil, eds. Jackie Scully and (Ben) Pink Dandelion (Farnham: Ashgate/Gower, 2007), 15-29.

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"Was the Fourth Evangelist a Quaker?"

Of course he wasn't, but the way John's Gospel has influenced Spirit-based movements throughout c... more Of course he wasn't, but the way John's Gospel has influenced Spirit-based movements throughout church history betrays also its function and design in the late first-century Christian situation, as a more primitive memory of Jesus poses the basis for challenges to rising institutionalism and hierarchy in the sub-apostolic era. These themes are developed also in The Christology of the Fourth Gospel and elsewhere. Quaker Religious Thought #76 (1991): 27-43.

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"Receiving Holy Callings, And Being Wholly Responsive"

This essay was presented as the Quaker Lecture at Western Yearly Meeting in Plainfield, Indiana t... more This essay was presented as the Quaker Lecture at Western Yearly Meeting in Plainfield, Indiana the summer of 1985. It builds upon the transformative experiences of the Hebrew prophets in scripture, seeking to commend stewardship of subsequent such experiences as a key to discerning one's vocation and direction in life.

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Jesus and Peace

This essay was commissioned by the National Council of Churches of Christ Faith and Order Commiss... more This essay was commissioned by the National Council of Churches of Christ Faith and Order Commission, engaged within an ecumenical consultation meeting in Douglaston, New York in 1991 on "The Apostolic Character of the Church's Peace Witness." It was then published in The Church’s Peace Witness, Marlin Miller and Barbara Nelson Gingerich, eds. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), 105-30.

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"A DYNAMIC CHRISTOCENTRICITY— THE CENTER OF FAITHFUL PRAXIS"

This essay argues that the center of Quaker Faith and Practice is the immediacy of Christ; connec... more

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"An Apology for Authentic Spirituality"

This essay builds on the 15 theses of Robert Barclay's An Apology for the True Christian Divinity... more

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A comparison-contrast between Mark 14:3-11 and other texts: Matthew 26:6-16

draft, 2023

Matthew follows Mark's text closely, simplifying some of the detail 2 John's account coheres with... more Matthew follows Mark's text closely, simplifying some of the detail 2 John's account coheres with some features of Mark--including some details that Matthew omits--but John differs dramatically from Mark, not for theological reasons, but on matters of time, place, and particulars. Luke, however, follows John in some of the ways he departs from Mark--a clear sign of Luke's use of some features of the Johannine tradition, also evident elsewhere in Luke's departures from Mark in six dozen cases.

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"Diotrephes and his Kin: Engaging Proto-Ignatian Developments in the Johannine Situation"

JJH Vol. 4: Jesus Remembered in the Johannine Situation, 2024

This essay was presented at the John, Jesus, and History Pre-Conference at the Denver 2022 SBL me... more This essay was presented at the John, Jesus, and History Pre-Conference at the Denver 2022 SBL meetings. It is scheduled to be included in John, Jesus, and History, Vol. 4: Jesus Remembered in the Johannine Situation, 2024), building on Chapter 10 of my earlier monograph: The Christology of the Fourth Gospel, where Peter is presented as "returning the keys to Jesus" in John 6:68-69--"YOU have the words of eternal life" (not I).

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The Christ-Hymn of John 1-From Confessional Response to Transformative Prologue

Presented a the Wycliffe Scripture and Theology Colloquium (2022) and at the Vienna SNTS meetings... more

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Margaret Fell’s Women’s Speaking Justified by Scripture (in Modern English)

This is my translation in Modern English of Margaret Fell's 1666/7 pamphlet, “Women’s Speaking Ju... more This is my translation in Modern English of Margaret Fell's 1666/7 pamphlet, “Women’s Speaking Justified, Proved, and Allowed of by the Scriptures," written in the prison of Lancaster Castle. It was the first robust treatment of the subject--challenging the forbidding of women's public ministries--in English.

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Paul Anderson's Book Projects

This is a list of some two dozen book length projects I'm working on (two thirds of which are lar... more

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A Dynamic Christocentricity (outline)

Quaker Religious Thought #105, pp. 20-36, 2005

This is an outline of the QRT #105 essay, "A Dynamic Christocentricity--The Center of Faithful Pr... more

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"Quakers and the Nobel Peace Prize--Antecedents and Continuing Peace Work"

Quakers and the Future of Peacemaking (Quakers and the Disciplines 8)s , 2022

This essay outlines the history of Quakers' receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947. It will be p... more

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What Would Jesus Do? 40 Days with Jesus and the Synoptic Gospels

In calling to present the words and works of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels-Matthew, Mark, and Luk... more In calling to present the words and works of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels-Matthew, Mark, and Luke-reflect each day on what Jesus said and did, leading to reflecting upon how we might feel led to put his teaching and example into practice over the next 40 days. At the beginning of the day, (a) read these gospel passages, taking note of what speaks to you; (b) live with the intention to follow the way of Jesus throughout the day; (c) conclude the day with reflecting on how faithfulness to that priority might have made a difference that day. Remember the five Rs of Transformative Bible reading: Read, Reflect, Respond, Remember, Record.

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"Revelation and Rhetoric in John 9:1-10:21 Two Dialogical Modes Operative within the Johannine Narrative"

WUNT 451, 2020

This essay challenges J. Louis Martyn's single-issue (Johannine-Jewish) crisis in the Johannine s... more This essay challenges J. Louis Martyn's single-issue (Johannine-Jewish) crisis in the Johannine situation on the basis of a new literary analysis of John 9. Presented at the TCU conference on literary genres and the gospels; published now by Mohr Siebeck as WUNT 451 (a HOT issue, indeed!).

“Revelation and Rhetoric in John 9:1-10:21—Two Dialogical Modes Operative within the Johannine Narrative,” in David P. Moessner, Matthew Calhoun, and Tobias Nicklas (ed.), The Gospels and Ancient Literary Criticism: Continuing the Debate on Gospel Genre(s), WUNT 451 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2020), 441-70

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"John, Jesus, and the Transformation of Judaism"

This draft was presented on January 12, 2021 at the Enoch Seminar online conference on John the B... more

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Truth and Integrity--Part of My Own Story

Truth and Liberation, 2020

Part 2 of Chapter 5 in my Truth and Liberation Book

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Alternatives to Violence—Leadership and Truth: A Part of My Own Story

Truth and Liberation , 2020

The second part of Chapter 4 in a forthcoming book, Truth and Liberation

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"Archaeology, John, and Jesus: What Recent Discoveries Show Us About Jesus From the Fourth Gospel" Eerdmans book project

Book contents plus "Introduction and Acknowledgments" by Paul N. Anderson, 2021

Here is the book contents and introduction of a historic collection of essays, in production with... more

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Truth and Liberation 3--Seeing Truth in the Face of the Other, Part of My Story

The second part of the Compassionate Concern chapter.

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Truth and Liberation 2: Authentic Worship, Part of my own story

This is the second part of Chapter 2 of my Truth and Liberation Project: Authentic Worship: https... more

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Truth and Liberation 1--Personal Transformation--Part of My Own Story

Given that truth liberates inwardly, bringing one into personal transformation by the convicting ... more

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“Inspiring Readings of the Inspired Text— Taking the Bible Personally, After the Manner of Friends”

Quaker Religious Thought 134 (2020): 11-24, 2020

This paper, presented at the November 2019 Quaker Theological Discussion Group (San Diego) argues... more This paper, presented at the November 2019 Quaker Theological Discussion Group (San Diego) argues that the inspiring reading of biblical texts involves (1) reading the Bible openly and authentically, (2) Ireading in ways that one is opened to the truth of one's own story and situation reflectively, being convicted (convinced) about the truth of one's needful condition, (3) a willingness to God in humble submission, and (4) finding the newness of life and light being born and shining from within, witnessing to his life-changing transformation.

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“On Vias Negativa and Positiva in John’s Dialectical Theology—Apophatic and Kataphatic Thrusts in Philo and Within the Johannine Tradition”

TBA, 2020

In Hebrew Scripture, Philo, and the Fourth Gospel, apophatic and kataphatic thrusts operate diale... more In Hebrew Scripture, Philo, and the Fourth Gospel, apophatic and kataphatic thrusts operate dialectically, involving Vias Negativa and Positiva, as sodalities and substances are furthered by means of modalities and forms. Especially in the Johannine tradition, the apophatic ministry of Jesus of Nazareth is constructed apologetically (and kataphatically) so as to lead later audiences into apophatic encounters with the divine presence revealed in Jesus as the Christ. Such is the operative character of Vias Negativa and Positiva, especially in the hands of the dialectical thinking and writing of the Fourth Evangelist. This essay thus argues how that is so.

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"Elizabeth Fry-Prison Reformer and a Quaker of Note"

Quakers, Social Work, and Justice Concerns, Quakers and the Disciplines 7, FAHE, May, 2020, 2020

Her picture is on the five-pound British note. She brought about prison reform in Britain, which ... more Her picture is on the five-pound British note. She brought about prison reform in Britain, which spread to civilized nations in Europe and beyond. Her school of nursing inspired and supported the work of Florence Nightingale. She was the first woman to address Parliament and did so several times. She was visited in her prison-reform work by kings and queens of Denmark and Prussia. She was a recorded Friends minister who provided Bibles for people, established multiple organizations for social reform, challenged the death penalty and slavery, and who was sponsored by Queen Victoria. Referred to as "the Angel of the Prisons," her name was Elizabeth Fry-a noteworthy Friend, indeed!

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“‘Little Children, Stay Away from Idols!’—The Last Word as the First Word in the Johannine Situation: 1 John 5:21 and the Roman Imperial Cult” (presentation draft, 2019 SBL)

unpublished; presented at the San Diego SBL meetings, 2019

In this essay I argue that the last verse of 1 John actually should be considered the main thrust... more In this essay I argue that the last verse of 1 John actually should be considered the main thrust of the entire letter. Johannine Christianity is NOT sectarian; it represents a form of radical Jewish cosmopolitanism. Thus, the main divisions between community members fall along the lines of Jewish and Gentile believers, whereby the latter are not convinced that participating in pagan festivities, exacerbated by the rise of the imperial cult under Domitian (81-96 CE--and following into the reign of Trajan) leads to some committing "death-producing sins" while "claiming to be without sin"--thus going against the first two Commandments and "making God a liar," etc.

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