Category Archives: Biblical History

Upstream Theology: Why Diagnosis Must Precede Exhortation

Posted on January 8, 2026 by nathanalbright

Religious communities rightly prize exhortation. Sermons, teachings, and pastoral counsel are designed to call people toward faithfulness, obedience, and trust in God. Exhortation forms identity, binds communities together, and reminds believers of enduring truths. Yet exhortation assumes something that is … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Institutional Theology Matters Now

Posted on January 6, 2026 by nathanalbright

Much of contemporary religious discussion assumes that theology is primarily about beliefs, texts, or personal spirituality. Institutions are treated as secondary—neutral containers at best, unfortunate necessities at worst. When institutions are discussed, they are often framed in managerial or political … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Theophilus: The Man Who Helped Give Us a Gospel and Acts

Posted on January 4, 2026 by nathanalbright

[Note:  This is the prepared text for a sermonette given to the Portland, Oregon congregation of the United Church of God on Sabbath, January 3, 2026.] When we open the New Testament, we tend to focus on the big names—Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Sermonettes | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

White Paper: Misused Biblical Self-Identification: A Typology for Discernment, Governance, and Formation

Posted on January 3, 2026 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Biblical self-identification—seeing oneself reflected in a scriptural figure—can be a legitimate tool for moral reflection and spiritual growth. However, Scripture itself warns that misapplied identification can become a mechanism for evading correction, reinterpreting authority, or sacralizing disorder. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

White Paper: The Naming of Josiah: Parental Agency, Prophetic Foreknowledge, and the Nature of Named Deeds

Posted on January 1, 2026 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The naming of Josiah, king of Judah, occupies a unique place in biblical studies because his name appears in a prophecy approximately three centuries before his birth (1 Kings 13:2). This paper examines three closely related questions: Who … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Maternal Lines, Musings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Innocence, Transgression, and Moral Knowledge: A Biblicist White Paper on Humanity’s State in Eden and the Biblical Meaning of Innocence

Posted on December 30, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper examines the biblical concept of innocence, focusing first on humanity’s original state in Eden and then expanding to a broader scriptural theology of innocence across redemptive history. From a biblicist perspective, innocence is neither moral … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Bride of Christ and the Saints Before the New Covenant: A Biblicist Examination of Covenant Identity, Eschatology, and Scriptural Language

Posted on December 28, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper examines whether Scripture identifies believers called before the inauguration of the New Covenant—that is, the faithful of the Hebrew Scriptures—as part of the Bride of Christ, or whether that identity is reserved for those called … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Chronology of the Tiqqunê Soferim: When Were the Old Testament Scribal Emendations Most Likely Made?

Posted on December 27, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper examines the probable historical period in which the Tiqqunê Soferim—the eighteen acknowledged scribal emendations of the Hebrew Old Testament—were introduced into the consonantal text. Based on manuscript evidence, linguistic uniformity, Second Temple scribal culture, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: Scribal Emendation and Theological Reverence: A Biblicist Comparison of Old Testament and New Testament Textual Interventions

Posted on December 27, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper examines the phenomenon of scribal emendation in both the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament, comparing their frequency, transparency, motivations, and theological implications. From a biblicist perspective, it argues that the two testaments … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“They Hated Me Without a Cause”: A Biblicist Examination of Uncaused Hatred

Posted on December 26, 2025 by nathanalbright

In John 15:25, Jesus Christ declares, “They hated Me without a cause,” explicitly invoking the language of the Psalms (Ps. 35:19; 69:4). At first glance this claim appears paradoxical. Surely the Jewish leadership of the first century could articulate reasons—theological, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments