Books by David A Brondos
A God Like No Other: Depaganizing the God of the Hebrew Bible, 2024
Table of Contents and Full Summary of my 2024 book, A God Like No Other: Depaganizing the God of ... more Table of Contents and Full Summary of my 2024 book, A God Like No Other: Depaganizing the God of the Hebrew Bible.
Christian and Jewish readers alike will find in the present volume a God who is very different from the God they have been taught to encounter previously in the biblical texts, a God whose ultimate concern is not for his own glory, honor, or worship or for the demands of a righteous and holy nature that holds him captive, but for the healing, wholeness, and well-being of all of his creatures. Such an understanding of God not only calls into question traditional interpretations of the Hebrew Bible but also lays the basis for a fresh reading of the many difficult passages that have long challenged biblical interpreters due to the violent and troubling image of God that they convey.
The Parting of the Gods: Paul and the Redefinition of Judaism, 2021
This document includes a summary of the book, together with the Table of Contents and Bibliography.
A summary of my two-volume work Jesus' Death in New Testament Thought. For more information and e... more A summary of my two-volume work Jesus' Death in New Testament Thought. For more information and excerpts, visit the link that appears below.
Papers by David A Brondos
For centuries, interpreters of Paul’s epistles have assumed that his faith in Christ led him to b... more For centuries, interpreters of Paul’s epistles have assumed that his faith in Christ led him to break with Judaism in order to adhere to a faith that stood in opposition to it, namely, Christianity. When we examine the gospel Paul proclaimed from within the Judaism of his day, however, it becomes clear that, rather than representing a rejection of Judaism, that gospel expresses beliefs and hopes that are thoroughly Jewish.
Presentation given for the Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions section at the 2021 of th... more Presentation given for the Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions section at the 2021 of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (San Antonio, Texas).
In response to systems that oppressed the common people by exploiting, silencing, and excluding them, both Martin Luther and Paulo Freire proposed inclusive forms of education that revolved around dialogue and critical thinking. As we seek to develop and implement strategies and liberating forms of praxis to struggle against the new forms that injustice and systemic violence have taken in our own day, we can learn a great deal by placing Luther and Freire in critical dialogue with one another and with our present-day contexts.
Five hundred years ago, after publishing his 95 Theses and speaking out in his other writings aga... more Five hundred years ago, after publishing his 95 Theses and speaking out in his other writings against the injustices and abuses he saw in the church of his day, Martin Luther stood firm before Emperor Charles V at Worms and refused to recant anything he had said or written. Yet while many Christians today celebrate Luther’s resolve and claim to identify with his thought and teachings, we must ask ourselves: Are we really willing to stand for what Luther stood for?
Dialog
When the Rev. Dr. James H. Cone passed away in April 2018, Christians throughout the world whose ... more When the Rev. Dr. James H. Cone passed away in April 2018, Christians throughout the world whose lives had been profoundly transformed by his theology of blackness mourned his death. Here is my own eulogy written from the Mexican context in which I teach. Unedited version of editorial published in September 2018 issue of Dialog: A Journal of Theology (57/3), 156-161.
Pro Ecclesia: A Journal of Catholic and Evangelical Theology, 2004
For centuries, Western Christian theologians have been divided over the question of whether the b... more For centuries, Western Christian theologians have been divided over the question of whether the basis upon which believers in Christ are justified and forgiven is the change and renewal that God brings about in them through faith or instead the atoning work of Christ carried out prior to and independently of any such change and renewal. A reexamination of Martin Luther’s thought on the subject can offer fresh answers to that question.
Dialog, 2020
Although the use of gender-neutral language to refer to God may be helpful in promoting greater g... more Although the use of gender-neutral language to refer to God may be helpful in promoting greater gender equity, at times it can make it extremely difficult to speak about God as a person who cares deeply about each of us rather than reducing God to some type of “higher power” or “spiritual force.” So rather than avoiding the use of pronouns are masculine or feminine in gender when speaking of God, why don’t we instead use both?
Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2001
Pauline scholars have tended to look to some version of the doctrines of atonement found in later... more Pauline scholars have tended to look to some version of the doctrines of atonement found in later Christian tradition for the narrative framework and ideas necessary to interpret Paul's thought in Gal. 3.13. However, a proper understanding of the foundational story found in the early Christian tradition provides us with all the elements we need to understand this passage: by being obedient unto death in seeking the redemption of others, Christ attained that redemption once for all when God responded by raising him, since now exalted in power, he is certain to redeem God's people from the law's curse when he comes again.
Dialog a Journal of Theology, Mar 1, 2010
Rather than seeing inequity on different sides of borders as the result of God having blessed som... more Rather than seeing inequity on different sides of borders as the result of God having blessed some people more than others, it must be considered the consequence of sinful and unjust systems and structures to which we all contribute. According to Jesus’ teaching and practice, only as we see ourselves as sinners in need of help and healing can we fulfill the mission of serving as God’s instruments to promote justice and equity on all sides of the borders and boundaries that exist in our world.
Dialog a Journal of Theology, Feb 28, 2007
Did Paul and Luther proclaim the same gospel? Although Luther’s understanding of the work of Chri... more Did Paul and Luther proclaim the same gospel? Although Luther’s understanding of the work of Christ reflects some ideas that are foreign to Paul’s thought, both agree on the heart of the gospel, namely, that justification is by faith alone, since “faith alone fulfills the law.” In Christ God graciously accepts sinners just as they are, so that as they live out of faith, trusting solely in God for forgiveness and new life, they may become the righteous people God desires that they be, not for God’s sake, but for theirs.
Dialog-a Journal of Theology, 2007
In response to the articles appearing in Dialog 46:1 (Spring 2007), David Brondos defends his pos... more In response to the articles appearing in Dialog 46:1 (Spring 2007), David Brondos defends his position that in Paul's thought Christ's death did not "effect" human salvation, over against Karl Donfried's critique of that position. While Brondos and Donfried agree that Luther got the essence of Paul's gospel right and that Paul did not understand Jesus' death in terms of satisfaction or penal substitution, Brondos argues that the idea of "inclusive substitution" defended by Donfried and characteristic of the "new perspective on Paul" is foreign to the thought of both Paul and Luther.
Scottish Journal of Theology, 2001
Why did Jesus die on the cross? Ask this question of a theologian, and the answer will likely be ... more Why did Jesus die on the cross? Ask this question of a theologian, and the answer will likely be something to the effect that Jesus died so that our sins might be forgiven and the world might be saved from sin, death and evil eternally. Ask this question of a historian, however, and the answer will be quite different: Jesus died because his activity created conflict with the authorities of his time, and therefore they had him crucified.
Dialog, 2013
In 2013, the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approved a social ... more In 2013, the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approved a social statement on criminal justice. When considering this vital issue, we must take into account that we have inherited a flawed theology that wrongly divorces justice from grace, mercy, and love, putting these at odds with one another. We must also rethink our understanding of forgiveness and recognize that we are all responsible in various ways for the lives and actions of others.
Although Paul addressed his Epistle to the Romans primarily to the gentile believers in Christ wh... more Although Paul addressed his Epistle to the Romans primarily to the gentile believers in Christ who were in Rome, the primary purpose of his letter was to demonstrate to the Jewish believers who would also read it or hear it read that the gospel he proclaimed did not disparage Judaism and the Mosaic law but upheld the value of all that his fellow Jews regarded as sacred. In this way, he hoped to allay any concerns they might have over his visit and gain their support for the work he intended to carry out in Spain.
Presentation given at Historical Jesus Section of the 2019 annual meeting of the SBL in San Diego... more Presentation given at Historical Jesus Section of the 2019 annual meeting of the SBL in San Diego (with an epilogue added). It is published on my website at: https://94t.mx/roads/
What led Jesus to embark on his final and fatal trip to Jerusalem? When we look to the nature of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee rather than to some theory of atonement to answer that question, we find good reasons for concluding that Jesus realized that only by going to Jerusalem could the objectives he had been pursuing throughout his ministry be accomplished in the way he desired. While the price he would pay for going to Jerusalem would be that of his life, from his perspective the price he would pay if he avoided Jerusalem would be even greater.
500 Años de la Reforma Protestante, 2017
Para entender la importancia que la doctrina de la justificación por la fe tuvo para Martín Luter... more Para entender la importancia que la doctrina de la justificación por la fe tuvo para Martín Lutero, hay que conocer la forma en que su concepto de Dios cambió. Una vez que llegó a la convicción de que el amor de Dios es incondicional, pudo confiar plenamente en Dios como un Padre tierno y amoroso. Quienes llegan a tenerle esa misma confianza vivirán como él manda, no por miedo al castigo, sino porque saben que en su amor Dios no busca otra cosa que nuestro bienestar y felicidad.
Artículo publicado en: 500 Años de la Reforma Protestante (México, D.F.: Casa Unida de Publicaciones; Gabinete General, Iglesia Metodista de México, AR; 2017), 123-142.
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Books by David A Brondos
Christian and Jewish readers alike will find in the present volume a God who is very different from the God they have been taught to encounter previously in the biblical texts, a God whose ultimate concern is not for his own glory, honor, or worship or for the demands of a righteous and holy nature that holds him captive, but for the healing, wholeness, and well-being of all of his creatures. Such an understanding of God not only calls into question traditional interpretations of the Hebrew Bible but also lays the basis for a fresh reading of the many difficult passages that have long challenged biblical interpreters due to the violent and troubling image of God that they convey.
Papers by David A Brondos
In response to systems that oppressed the common people by exploiting, silencing, and excluding them, both Martin Luther and Paulo Freire proposed inclusive forms of education that revolved around dialogue and critical thinking. As we seek to develop and implement strategies and liberating forms of praxis to struggle against the new forms that injustice and systemic violence have taken in our own day, we can learn a great deal by placing Luther and Freire in critical dialogue with one another and with our present-day contexts.
What led Jesus to embark on his final and fatal trip to Jerusalem? When we look to the nature of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee rather than to some theory of atonement to answer that question, we find good reasons for concluding that Jesus realized that only by going to Jerusalem could the objectives he had been pursuing throughout his ministry be accomplished in the way he desired. While the price he would pay for going to Jerusalem would be that of his life, from his perspective the price he would pay if he avoided Jerusalem would be even greater.
Artículo publicado en: 500 Años de la Reforma Protestante (México, D.F.: Casa Unida de Publicaciones; Gabinete General, Iglesia Metodista de México, AR; 2017), 123-142.
Christian and Jewish readers alike will find in the present volume a God who is very different from the God they have been taught to encounter previously in the biblical texts, a God whose ultimate concern is not for his own glory, honor, or worship or for the demands of a righteous and holy nature that holds him captive, but for the healing, wholeness, and well-being of all of his creatures. Such an understanding of God not only calls into question traditional interpretations of the Hebrew Bible but also lays the basis for a fresh reading of the many difficult passages that have long challenged biblical interpreters due to the violent and troubling image of God that they convey.
In response to systems that oppressed the common people by exploiting, silencing, and excluding them, both Martin Luther and Paulo Freire proposed inclusive forms of education that revolved around dialogue and critical thinking. As we seek to develop and implement strategies and liberating forms of praxis to struggle against the new forms that injustice and systemic violence have taken in our own day, we can learn a great deal by placing Luther and Freire in critical dialogue with one another and with our present-day contexts.
What led Jesus to embark on his final and fatal trip to Jerusalem? When we look to the nature of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee rather than to some theory of atonement to answer that question, we find good reasons for concluding that Jesus realized that only by going to Jerusalem could the objectives he had been pursuing throughout his ministry be accomplished in the way he desired. While the price he would pay for going to Jerusalem would be that of his life, from his perspective the price he would pay if he avoided Jerusalem would be even greater.
Artículo publicado en: 500 Años de la Reforma Protestante (México, D.F.: Casa Unida de Publicaciones; Gabinete General, Iglesia Metodista de México, AR; 2017), 123-142.
Article published online at my website https://94t.mx