For centuries, Christian funerals placed the deceased into the story of God through ritual and li... more For centuries, Christian funerals placed the deceased into the story of God through ritual and liturgy. Contemporary practice focuses almost exclusively on the deceased in what is called the "Celebration of Life." This article argues for the importance of historical funeral practices (liturgy and ritual) for Christians today.
The global pandemic has raised several challenges to the discipline of Christian life, perhaps mo... more The global pandemic has raised several challenges to the discipline of Christian life, perhaps most felt in the habit of church attendance. I argue herein that the habit of gathering with God's people has been replaced by the habit of sloth, and I encourage church leaders to lead their congregations into Christian-character forming habits.
Using exegesis and ritual theory, the paper argues for excluding from the Lord's Supper those who... more Using exegesis and ritual theory, the paper argues for excluding from the Lord's Supper those who have not been baptized.
Abstract: The God of the Bible is an incarnate God: A God who speaks in and through the embodied ... more Abstract: The God of the Bible is an incarnate God: A God who speaks in and through the embodied human experience. Thus, for all of the theological significance of baptism, it is also incumbent for Christians to recognize the vital sociological role baptism plays as a rite of passage, as well as the ways in which baptism serves as an embodied pedagogy, that is, as a learning experience that has lasting effects in the life of the believer. This has implications for baptismal practice, specifically having to do with the timing in which baptism is undertaken. I argue in this essay for a recognition that baptism serves both sociological and pedagogical functions in the life of Christians and the church, and that perhaps a third category—a “liminal” category—should be envisioned for those on their way toward baptism.
For centuries, Christian funerals placed the deceased into the story of God through ritual and li... more For centuries, Christian funerals placed the deceased into the story of God through ritual and liturgy. Contemporary practice focuses almost exclusively on the deceased in what is called the "Celebration of Life." This article argues for the importance of historical funeral practices (liturgy and ritual) for Christians today.
The global pandemic has raised several challenges to the discipline of Christian life, perhaps mo... more The global pandemic has raised several challenges to the discipline of Christian life, perhaps most felt in the habit of church attendance. I argue herein that the habit of gathering with God's people has been replaced by the habit of sloth, and I encourage church leaders to lead their congregations into Christian-character forming habits.
Using exegesis and ritual theory, the paper argues for excluding from the Lord's Supper those who... more Using exegesis and ritual theory, the paper argues for excluding from the Lord's Supper those who have not been baptized.
Abstract: The God of the Bible is an incarnate God: A God who speaks in and through the embodied ... more Abstract: The God of the Bible is an incarnate God: A God who speaks in and through the embodied human experience. Thus, for all of the theological significance of baptism, it is also incumbent for Christians to recognize the vital sociological role baptism plays as a rite of passage, as well as the ways in which baptism serves as an embodied pedagogy, that is, as a learning experience that has lasting effects in the life of the believer. This has implications for baptismal practice, specifically having to do with the timing in which baptism is undertaken. I argue in this essay for a recognition that baptism serves both sociological and pedagogical functions in the life of Christians and the church, and that perhaps a third category—a “liminal” category—should be envisioned for those on their way toward baptism.
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Papers by Todd Hall