“Did God create humans or did humans create God?” That, said my study group, is a question posed by Parshat…
Category: Philosophy
Argumentation for Theological Scholars
A slide lecture for research students at the Vancouver School of Theology. This was a fun project! A great opportunity…
Balaam: Don't Defame Your Enemies
Don’t defame your enemies. That’s today’s lesson from the Biblical prophet Balaam. In 1200 BCE, mass media works like this:…
Jewish Time: Cyclical, Linear, or Open-Ended?
What is Jewish time? No, I’m not looking for the practical answer. You know — the funny cultural norm. Where…
Political narrative keeping you prisoner? Time for a new Exodus!
Judaism has a “master story” that shapes our political narrative. It is, of course, the Exodus. One famous version goes like…
Praise to the Living God! What kind of Jewish prayer is Yigdal Elohim Chai?
Yigdal Elohim Chai (Praise to the Living God) has a special role in Jewish prayer. It’s one of a very few…
Blaming the Victim
Last night, I saw it again. A familiar psoriasis lesion. Just below my ankle. Every winter, it grows in the…
What God is NOT
Paying attention to dreams is an ancient Jewish spiritual practice. Our biblical ancestors Isaac and Jacob dreamed of God. Jacob’s…
How Should We Pray? (Ki Tisa)
Moses said to God, “Please show me your ways, that I may know you – and see that this nation…