By Lynn Japinga A strong, confident, brilliant professional woman is at a party, standing with a small group of people. Next to her is an older man whom she knows, but dislikes. While talking to someone else in the group, the man…
God created humankind in God’s image … male and female God created them. Genesis 1:27 by Lynn Japinga It seems so obvious. If all human beings are created in God’s image, then shouldn’t all human beings be treated with respect? Shouldn’t…
2 Samuel 13 by Lynn Japinga Sometimes the Bible tells ugly stories which serve as a mirror to contemporary society, even though three millennia have elapsed Amnon was the oldest son and heir to the throne of King David. Amnon…
By Lynn Japinga Judges 20-21 Last Sunday in this space I told the story of the concubine and the Levite in Judges 19. She was brutally raped by a mob of Benjaminites, and the Levite cut her up into twelve…
By Lynn Japinga Sometimes the only moral lesson to be found in a biblical story is “Go and do NOT do likewise.” Or, more concisely, “This is revolting.” Or, even more concisely, “NO!” The story of the concubine and the…
1 Samuel 25 By Lynn Japinga Two men with sizeable egos engage in a power struggle. Neither will back down. Neither wants to appear weak or be humiliated. A violent ending seems inevitable. A recent political headline? Yes, but also…
Lynn Japinga is substituting for Steve Mathonnet-VanderWell while he is on sabbatical. She teaches religion at Hope College and studies recent RCA history. Eleven years ago, on the morning of September 11, 2001, I was teaching a class on American…
Lynn Japinga is substituting for Steve Mathonnet-VanderWell while he is on sabbatical. She teaches religion at Hope College and studies recent RCA history. Todd Akin’s recent assertion that normal female physiology is suspended in the case of rape has led…
