In 33 AD, Palestine was the Roman name for the geographical region encompassing Judea and Galilee at that time over which the Romans were firmly in control of their Jewish and other Levantine subjects. I call this a CSI story because it focuses on the human capacity and function of forensic reason that is required to solve perplexing crimes such as some murders, abductions and others are. Based on actual historical events of the early first century and documented by histor- ians of the day, that's the kind of story this is. It masterfully depicts the reality of worldview presuppositions at work, and the application of both inductive and deductive reason that are unavoidably relied upon to unravel mysteries of this nature within the complex Judeo-Roman milieu.

by Scott Cherry

People of all kinds love superhero movies—Christians, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, and everyone else. This is not surprising because they have enormous power to entertain and communicate important messages all at once. I like them as much as anybody else.  As superheroes go, I really like the Avengers. The last movie, “The Age of Ultron” came out in May, 2015 and I saw it three times that year. Once I saw it with my German movie buddy Josh, then with my son, and then with my wife on DVD. I enjoyed it a lot but I heard harsh criticisms from others. In this review I'm pretty fixated on one thing.  There was a particular line from a conversation toward the end of the film that has been ringing in my ears: “There’s grace in their failings.” Through my lenses it struck me as a very profound theological statement, because grace is a very profound theological idea, especially in the Christian frame of reference.  Of course, grace can mean different things in different contexts, but this grace could only make sense in biblical terms.  It was not the kind of grace that proper ladies have, nor the kind exhibited at formal affairs or when ballroom dancing.  This grace had a much deeper meaning, I contend, one which addresses the universal need of all humanity for help and forgiveness from a greater source.   Yes, a lot of inference is required.