One of my infrequent thoughts on politics, written in 2013 and revised in September 2018 in the run-up to the midterm elections. It was March 20, 2003. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. Then I walked out on my political party, the Republicans. I did so principally in protest against President Bush’s... Continue Reading →
Pastor, tell your flock the truth about itself [Studies in 1 Corinthians]
It’s summertime, let’s stroll down the boardwalk! Inevitably there's someone drawing chalk pictures of self-conscious passersby. His caricature is a sketch of a person which exaggerates some aspect of one’s appearance or character. At the beach, it’s meant to be fun; on the editorial page it might demean. In some hands, it is a weapon:... Continue Reading →
The Gospel and Choice, Part 1 – Is the battle for belief played on an even field?
Have you debated the doctrine of election, jaw clenched, over coffee? In a classroom? In your small group? It’s a vital topic, but your venue is ill-chosen. Rather, we should be discussing the doctrine of election to the extent we are doing evangelism and being eyewitnesses to God's transforming power. That's how the apostles did... Continue Reading →
Studies in Thessalonians series
These posts are based on my commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians, available from Zondervan Publishing. 1 Corinthians and Thessalonians: My New Commentaries now available! The review of my commentary in the international Review of Biblical Literature: http://www.bookreviews.org/pdf/8733_9615.pdf What books have I used to write a commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians? [Studies in 1 Thessalonians] What Would a Mother... Continue Reading →
Studies in 1 Corinthians by Gary Shogren
These posts are adaptations of my commentary on 1 Corinthians, based on my own study of the critical Greek text, the early church fathers and the best of contemporary scholarship. It is available in Spanish from http://www.clie.es, in English from Amazon and from Logos. Why you’ve never heard of the Second Corinthian Church [Studies in... Continue Reading →
My Four Decades in the Bible, Part IV, Conclusion
Chapter Seven – I teach in seminary I’ve now been a professor, teaching in English and then in Spanish, for over 30 years. The first seminary where I taught put us through a sort of Professor Boot Camp. Our academic dean stressed: “Your students will remember only a portion of the content you teach; they... Continue Reading →
1 Corinthians commentary, available from Logos!
Announcement! The English version of my 1 Corinthians commentary is now available from Logos.com; it is fully integrated with the Logos system. Only $19.95. Or you can download a pdf version for free from this blog! (https://openoureyeslord.com/2012/05/21/free-commentary-on-1-corinthians-2/) What does agape mean? What are the spiritual gifts? Should women wear veils to church? Or remain absolutely... Continue Reading →
Jesus? Yeshua? Yahushua? Which is the ‘real’ pronunciation?
From my ministry in Central America, I understand how names change from language to language: the English form of my name “Gary Shogren” is difficult for the Spanish-speaker – the “a” and the “e” don’t have exact counterparts in Spanish; nor does “sh”. I say my name one way if I’m speaking English and another... Continue Reading →
How to write a commentary when your library is 2000 miles away
in November 2012, Zondervan published my commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians, a volume I’ve been working on since 2005 (click HERE). When I saw it on display at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, I heaved a sigh of relief, and not just because finishing a book, any book, lightens the spirit. (My 1... Continue Reading →
Are you a Wretched Man or Woman? Should you be? [Romans 7]
Since I just published an article on chronic sin (CLICK HERE), I thought I'd follow it up with another about the Wretched Man passage of Romans 7:14-25. It took me about eight years of back-and-forth to write. My conclusion may surprise you. Shogren Romans 7 Originally published in Evangelical Quarterly 72/2 (April, 2000): 119-134.