From The Lectern

Bailey exposes the rich depths within Jesus’ parables positing Jesus as the metaphorical theologian whose parables must be considered within a Middle Eastern context. We examine the parable of the Good Samaritan and the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus for insights that would have stood out to Jesus’ Middle Eastern audience and apply them to our contemporary context.

In our continuing discussion of Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, the KD Team examines Bailey's work on Jesus' ministry with and to women. Western readers gain much from Jesus' interaction with the woman at the well from John 4:1-42 and the woman caught in adultery from John 7:53-8:11.

Kenneth E. Bailey offers an in-depth exegetical, cultural, and social examination of Jesus’ inaugural sermon in Luke 4:16-31. In posing the question, “how would they have heard it?” Bailey illuminates how transcendent Jesus’ sermon was to the Jewish crowd laden with nationalistic ideas of salvation.

Kenneth E. Bailey’s Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes considers how the Lord’s Prayer would have dramatically opened the minds and hearts for Jesus’ Middle Eastern listeners. The KD team discusses key points from Part 3 of this insightful book.

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey seeks to illuminate parts of Jesus’ life and ministry that often get overlooked by Western readers. The KD team begins to unpack this extraordinary text by considering points of emphasis in the Western telling of the Christmas narrative.

Lisa Spencer joins the KD Team to discuss her contribution to the Southeastern Theological Review.

Dr. Daniel Hill of Dallas Theological Seminary discusses the connection between our understanding of Christ and our daily actions.

Dr. Naomi Reese from Trinity International University shares insights on Japanese Christological engagement.

Dr. Miguel Echevarria shares insights from his essay "Middleton and Wright Have We Loved, But Padilla and Escobar? North American Eschatologies and Neglected Latino Voices"

Concluding the discussion of All Things New: Eschatology in a Majority World, the KD Team explores how suffering in a cultural context shapes eschatology. Dr. Strickland also shares a compelling hope for the future development of this doctrine. 

The KD team explores themes from All Things New: Eschatology from A Majority World edited by Gene L. Green, Stephen T. Pardue, and K.K. Yeo

What is Kingdom Diversity at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and how did it all begin? Join us as Dr. Walter Strickland and Phabienne Anderson celebrate the 7-year anniversary of the Kingdom Diversity Initiative.

**SPECIAL EDITION** The recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery reveal, once again, deep division in our country.  This episode of From the Lectern laments these horrific tragedies and offers theological insights about how communities respond to racism, and its implications for the racial reconciliation conversation.

In the third and final episode on African Hermeneutics by Dr. Elizabeth Mburu, Kingdom Diversity team members analyze the hermeneutical model Mburu offers that helps the African reader move from their known African worldview to the unknown biblical worldview.   

In part 2 on the discussion of African Hermeneutics by Dr. Elizabeth Mburu, Kingdom Diversity team members discuss Mubru’s expert presentation of the philosophical aspects of the African worldview.  Any culture’s point of view on knowledge, morality, suffering, and art influences how they read Scripture. Mburu demonstrates where the African worldview offers familiar connecting points to a Christian worldview. 

African Hermeneutics by Dr. Elizabeth Mburu offers a contextualized approach to reading and interpreting Scripture for Christians on the continent of Africa. In this episode, the KD team members have an in-depth discussion about the African worldview and why understanding one’s worldview is an important first step for Mburu’s work. 

Dr. Walter Strickland and Phabienne Anderson commemorate Black History Month by sharing a number of meaningful resources from the African American Christian tradition. African American preachers, authors, and thinkers who have been under represented offer a wealth of material to encourage all believers in the faith.

 Official audio of Kingdom Diversity's annual Black History Celebration Luncheon.

In this two part discussion we explore the meaning and role that repentance plays in conversations about ethnic reconciliation and what practical steps can be taken to move the conversation forward with Phabienne Anderson and Courtlandt Perkins.