This Week in Word from the Bird
Religion and Empire. Ignatius of Antioch. An AI-Jesus. Send me your Questions. A Medieval Apocalypse.
Monday: Review of Philip Jenkins Kingdoms of this World (Free Sign-Ups)
My overview of an excellent book by historian Philip Jenkins on the interface between religion and global empires.
Tuesday: New Video on Ignatius of Antioch (Aviary Members)
Have you heard the amazing story of Ignatius of Antioch: Bishop, Martyr, God-Bearer? It is an astounding tale and some of the most sublime and controversial parts of early Christian literature.
Hey, consider becoming a member of the Aviary for the new year, get early access, exclusive material, and premium content!
Wednesday: An AI-Jesus? (Free Sign-Ups)
Okay, YOU HAVE TO watch this crazy piece about AI-powered digital faith assistants. Imagine entering a Catholic confessional and confessing your sins to an AI-generated Jesus! I am not kidding.
Thursday: Q&A for Members of the Aviary - Live 10:00 p.m. (Aviary Members)
For members of the Aviary, put your questions in the section below, and I’ll answer them in a live session on substack streaming via Notes at 10:00 p.m. Melbourne time on Thursday 6 March (no idea when that is in European or American time).
Friday: New Video of the Week (Free Sign-Ups)
The latest episode of Ask N.T. Wright Anything plus a video on the medieval text The Pseudo-Apocalypse of Methodius!
Questions for Thursday:
1. Can you summarize your views on the relationship between Christus Victor and penal substitution? To what extent is death, as the consequence of sin, punishment (as in God inflicts it) versus just the natural consequence of separation from the life-giving God? In other words, did Jesus receive our punishment because God has, wants, or needs to punish sin, or was his death substitutionary in another way (like he bore the consequences of our sin so we might avoid them and receive life)?
2. Proclaiming, anticipating, and willingly allowing God to bring about his kingdom in and through Christians is a major aim of our discipleship to Christ. That is so much more than just telling people to repent and be baptized to be saved from hell although obviously sharing the Good News of Jesus includes that. But from an eschatological standpoint, what happens to those who do not follow Christ either because they have not heard of him or because the proclamation of the gospel that they have heard is so distorted by party politics, hatred, and personality cults that it is completely understandable why they might reject the caricature of Christ that is presented?
Wow!! Cannot wait!!