Is the Body of Christ United?

June 3, 2023 By Jordan Bennett

All who dip their toes into the world of ecumenical thought should immediately recognize the relevance of John 17:21 to the project of Christian unity; it is an excerpt from an earnest prayer spoken by the Son of God that directly pertains to, and asserts, the necessity of oneness among the members of His Body. While oneness is indeed necessary, contemplating the notion of unity betwixt Christians brings along with it some very serious—and sometimes difficult—questions. Please consider these two:... Read more

Lost in Translations Pt. 2: Jewish and Christian Exegesis

February 2, 2023 By Jordan Bennett

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In my last post, I argued for the study of the Scriptures in their original languages as a means of detecting the significance of linguistic nuance, and how such nuance can inform allegorical and homiletical interpretations of the Biblical text (see pt. 1 here). This entry will conclude my written thoughts (for now) on that topic; in what follows, specific examples of what I have dubbed “etymological allegory” shall be provided as I attempt to show how crucial the original... Read more

Lost in Translations: Biblical Languages and Extra-Literal Exegesis

December 20, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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What do you believe is enclosed within the words of the Holy Bible? Is a literal interpretation of Scripture all that is advocated by its heavenly author, or are layers of meaning lying in waiting within the Bible’s spiritually adorned letters? If you gravitate toward the latter notion, that there is much to be uncovered within the Biblical text beyond its plain interpretation, perhaps the following declaration will strike you as significant: By reading the Bible exclusively in English, one... Read more

Reflections on TCID: Protestant-Orthodox Dialogue

November 11, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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For those among my readership who consider themselves Christians of any ilk, please take a few moments to reflect on the following three questions: Should we pray for a united Church? What steps would need to be taken for the Church to dissolve its divisions? If the Church were to become whole once again, who would be among its members? These are significant questions, some of which form the very foundation of ecumenism; their purpose with regard to this... Read more

How Could Humanity Fall? Pt. 2

October 18, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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Before we dive back into the difficulties which surround the doctrine of the Fall of Man, let us first review the analogy that I presented in part one. (See original post here). In our imagined scenario, you, the reader, are seated comfortably at the head of a dining table in the midst of an elegant eating establishment; you are prepared to enjoy a nice meal and have brought the required appetite. However, on this fictitious occasion, things aren’t quite what... Read more

How the Early Church Handled Leviticus

September 30, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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In the first chapter of the book of Leviticus, displayed vibrantly are the statutes which regulate the holy rite of the burnt-offering. Here we locate the charges of the temple priest, for it is a son of Aaron who sprinkles the blood of a slaughtered beast ‘round about the altar; it is he, the cohen (priest), who strips the animal’s flesh from bone, carves it into pieces, and offers its unblemished remains upon a fiery altar as a sacrifice unto... Read more

How Could Humanity Fall? Pt. 1

September 13, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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Imagine for a moment that you are sitting at the roomy end of an upscale dining table. The temperature of the space is perfect, and, apart from your timely desire to eat, you are ferociously comfortable. On this particular occasion, you experience feelings and happenings that are supernatural. For example, your hunger is infinite (not in a horrifying way, but in a manner not unlike your current desire and need to breathe) and likewise is your ability to eat and... Read more

The Rationality of Animal Sacrifice According to Maimonides

August 24, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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In the Guide for the Perplexed, Moses Maimonides, the most lauded of all Medieval Jewish philosophers, argues for the inherent rationality of ritual sacrifice, and does so by echoing a familiar sentiment that was common to at least one religious thinker who had come before him. Not unlike the early Antiochene Christian exegete Theodoret of Cyrus (see my previous post here), Maimonides saw the sacrificial system of the ancient Israelites as an institution established by God for the express purpose... Read more

The Purpose of Animal Sacrifice According to Theodoret

August 17, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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The ancient theologian and once bishop of Cyrus, Theodoret, begins his series of questions on Leviticus by making a rather confident theological assertion: “I suppose not even a fool would deny that God is without need.” [i] But if the Almighty does not require ritual supplication for His own supernatural benefit, then why establish the sacrificial system for the Israelites? Theodoret suggests the following: 1. He permitted the sacrifices already practiced to safeguard from unholy reverence. Those Israelites who... Read more

Gleanings in Origen’s Homilies on Leviticus

August 8, 2022 By Jordan Bennett

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“In the Last Days, the Word of God, which was clothed with the flesh of Mary, proceeded into this world. What was seen in him was one thing; what was understood was something else…So also when the Word of God was brought to humans through the Prophets and the Lawgiver, it was not brought without proper clothing. For just as there it was covered with the veil of flesh, so here with the veil of the letter.” [i] In... Read more