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The Meaning of the Manger
Jesus, the penniless Messiah, is our sustenance.

Aaron Mead
Dec 28, 20245 min read
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The Meaning of Easter
Christ's resurrection determines the meaning of Easter. But what is the significance of that resurrection?

Aaron Mead
Mar 29, 20246 min read
123 views
0 comments


Publishing and Permanence
Is desiring to publish mere hubris? And why do I want to publish so badly?

Aaron Mead
Jan 29, 20246 min read
97 views
2 comments


Baby Jesus Goes to War: A Christmas Reflection
The multitude of angels wasn't a choir. It was an army.

Aaron Mead
Dec 25, 20236 min read
180 views
2 comments


Advent Waiting
What are we (Advent) waiting for?

Aaron Mead
Dec 13, 20235 min read
90 views
4 comments


What's Your Rest Ethic?
A healthy work ethic requires a healthy rest ethic. But what exactly is rest, and what makes it good?

Aaron Mead
Jun 10, 20236 min read
157 views
5 comments


Slavery in the New Testament, Part 3: Glimmers of Justice
Five problematic New Testament passages tell slaves to obey masters but also contain surprising glimmers of justice.

Aaron Mead
Feb 7, 20239 min read
217 views
2 comments


Author Interview in North Carolina
Author interview at Lake Forest Church on Paul's letter to Philemon, slavery in the New Testament, and my novel, Neither Slave nor Free.

Aaron Mead
Jan 30, 20231 min read
119 views
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Slavery in the New Testament, Part 2: Seeds of Abolition
Bible readers rightly worry over Paul's view of slavery. However, the emancipatory passages in his writings complicate the story.

Aaron Mead
Jan 20, 20237 min read
117 views
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Were My Ancestors Pro-slavery Preachers?
Bishop William Meade, a pro-slavery preacher, may be my ancestor. My novel, Neither Slave nor Free, alters that shameful family story.

Aaron Mead
Jan 6, 20234 min read
97 views
0 comments


Backstory to Philemon: The Fugitive Slave Theory
What circumstance gave rise to the New Testament letter to Philemon? Was Onesimus a fugitive slave? Find answers here.

Aaron Mead
Nov 18, 202210 min read
1,038 views
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Slavery in the New Testament, Part 1: Expect Liberation
Jesus's ministry of liberation is critical context for interpreting five problem passages on slavery in the New Testament.

Aaron Mead
Dec 28, 20215 min read
141 views
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Rowing into the Future
Hebrew actually and logically speaks of the past as what lies in front of us so that we can see it and of the future as what lies behind...

Aaron Mead
Nov 1, 20212 min read
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Half the Black Congregation Walked Out on the White Presbyterian Preacher
Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s epistles. Although even identifying the subject matter of the letter is controversial, readers...

Aaron Mead
Feb 19, 20214 min read
197 views
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A Lesson in Anti-Racism: Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black
Washington Black suggests we should oppose racism not because it's morally wrong, but because we care about those who suffer from it.

Aaron Mead
Oct 6, 20204 min read
23 views
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Zechariah in the Temple: An Advent Devotion
The following is an imaginative fictional account of Zechariah’s experience in the temple (Luke 1:5-20). I suggest reading the passage of...

Aaron Mead
Dec 23, 20192 min read
36 views
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Mind the Gap: The Gospels and Oral Transmission
In recent posts (e.g., here and here), I’ve been writing about the authorship of the Gospels, and the degree to which Gospel content may...

Aaron Mead
Jan 20, 20195 min read
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Advent and the Gospel
Lately, I’ve been thinking about what, exactly, the message of the gospel is. Of course, the term ‘gospel’ means “good news.” The puzzle...

Aaron Mead
Dec 2, 20186 min read
11 views
0 comments


…and then the apostle Paul sent the slave back to his master
Why did Paul send Onesimus back to Philemon? He didn't support slavery. Instead, he wanted Onesimus freed and the two brothers reconciled.

Aaron Mead
Apr 22, 20188 min read
1,832 views
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White Collar Sweatshops and Communism for the Rich: The View from Vietnam
There is something deeply right and beautiful about the principle, “From each according to her ability, to each according to her need.”...

Aaron Mead
Feb 23, 20186 min read
9 views
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