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When English interpretations of the New Testament talk about ‘sexual immorality’ they are really translating the Greek word porneia (πορνεία), it’s used almost every time the topic of sex comes up and often when talking about the worst sins in general. If you can really grok what Paul was talking about as he uses the root for the word over and over again (it appears 32 times in the New Testament) then the rest falls into place. Now porneia has always been translated into Latin as fornication, while being understood by many conservatives to just be a 1:1 stand in for ‘any sexual expression not between husband and wife’. However, Porneia in post-classical Corinthian Greek did not mean generic sexual sin, or even sex outside of marriage, at all exactly and neither did fornication in actual Latin. The truth, like in many things, is a little bit more complicated and…

Exodus
By, Lesley Anne Cornish

This sermon was offered for Albany Presbytery on March 25, 2014 at the Mayfield Central Presbyterian Church.  The scripture readings were Exodus 17 and I Corinthians 15: 51-58.  The Mayfield Church was burned to the ground in 2011 and through some Calvin Institute of Christian Worship grants has engaged in deep theological exploration of loss and grief and created amazing art that is woven throughout their new building that we worshipped in as a Presbytery for the first time today.  This includes their beautiful communion table that has a mosaic of shards of glass from the broken pieces of their felled stained glass windows that was created in worship by the community.  We heard a beautiful anthem in worship that the local community choir sang tonight that was commissioned for the rededication of their space.

Blessings overflow.  New life and growth rising from the ashes.

Imagine…

“I’m not trying to be self-deprecating,” I say, “I just don’t get it. I’m younger. I’m not pretty. I –”

He laughs, a deep laugh that sounds like it came from deep inside him, and touches his lips to my temple.

“Don’t pretend,” I say breathily. “You know I’m not. I’m not ugly, but I am certainly not pretty.”

“Fine. You’re not pretty. So?” He kisses my cheek. “I like how you look. You’re deadly smart. You’re brave. And even though you found out about Marcus …” His voice softens. “You aren’t giving me that look. Like I’m a kicked puppy or something.”

“Well,” I say. “You’re not.”

– Veronica Roth, Divergent

This handful of sentences, spoken by Divergent‘s protagonists Tris and Four, might be some of the most revolutionary words ever written in a young adult novel. In fact, they’re pretty incredible no matter what the genre…