Kenton J. Kutney

What can we actually know about the real Jesus, the guy who walked this earth some 2000 years ago? Have layers of tradition inevitably changed and shaped the picture we now have of him? How reliable are the recorded accounts of the life of Jesus that are presented in the New Testament Gospels of the Bible today? Take a minute to watch this video consider things from the view of a forensic detective... When reading a modern English translation, we might get the nagging thought that we are so far removed from the original — realty, 2000 years is a long time since Jesus walked he earth! The printing press is a relatively modern invention, so it is natural to ask if perhaps errors and omissions and editing crept into the hand-written copying process. This is important to dig into. How can there be any claim of truth to the Bible if it has kept changing over time? Remarkably, we have an astounding amount of carefully preserved ancient manuscript evidence to compare; far more tha...

The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible are biographical narratives about the life of Jesus - so why are they different? Does that mean the eyewitnesses are contradicting each other? ...Ever been in a car accident? There are always differing accounts - and not necessarily because people are lying. The insurance claim may report that a pedestrian saw something from a perspective that differs from a passenger in one of the cars involved, or yet again from another driver coming the other direction. That makes sense - the eyewitnesses each have their own vantage points.  In the same way, the authors of the gospels also have their unique perspectives. They should sound authentically different. In addition, the Gospels were originally composed with various audiences in mind, which makes a world of difference in tailoring the narrative message.  Watch this short clip of how a forensic detective thinks about all of this: As you (hopefull...

Joy: To The World! In-Service Scripture Readings: Psalms 95, 96, 97, 98 Note: This message was prepared under such short notice - I have had only two months to work on it, and right up to the Saturday night fine-tuning! The theme of Joy has daily been with me that long.  You get the 1/2 hour version (whew!) and I know that only God can make the applications of truth to your life as we ponder the scriptures.  I pray He will continue the good work in you.    (See further study resources below. )  INTRO :   How e asy it is to sound shallow or cliché when talking about Joy –  Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Ya, you haven’t seen my credit card bill!) . On the other hand, The Pursuit of a ‘solid’ Happiness is such a big thing it was enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.  Sadly, the United States has the greatest poverty of any developed nation, and to promise it seems too much for Government or Religion (Religion used in this sense as human in...

I have been pondering how it is even possible for a modern mortal to ‘share in the sufferings of Christ’.  It is one thing to recall the history of early church persecution, 'the blood of the saints that was the seed of the church'.  And it seems that many of the exhortations to endure suffering in Scripture are directly related to the hardship of the church and the cause of the Gospel of Christ.  These are the hero-saints of which the world was unworthy (Heb. 11:38). Especially when I compare that to my sufferings with a chronic illness: years living with a silly vortex of trials which constantly surprises in some fresh way with the same old symptoms (deep pain and sheer fatigue, troubled sleep, stomach troubles, financial strains, concerns about the future, etc.), so that once again one is caught muttering “Why me?” and feeling immature.  How do my aches and anxieties possibly compare to His sacred stripes?  How can they in some way be spiritual? ...

We continue with more reader feedback after sharing some of Our Story -- see posts (to the left, Meet The Kutneys ) for my wife's important perspective on suffering, entitled 'Embracing the Mystery' along with my article entitled 'Changing Seasons' "I have just read your testimonies in Canadian Christianity and The Testimony. A friend told me about the articles (not knowing that I knew you). They were both very moving. I had heard some time ago, Ken, about your illness but wasn't aware how it had progressed. A difficult journey you've been called on to travel, all of you together. Your own response to the rollercoaster of emotions and questions was very well expressed, Joy. It touched us deeply. You both sound so grounded in mature faith (which doesn't mean there can't be questions), but it's an inspiration to read of that kind of honesty rooted in deep faith. … It was precisely the spirit of quiet faith and acceptance th...

(How well do you know your Bible?) clipped from www.time.com The Case for Teaching The Bible (Cover Story) Should the Holy Book be taught in public schools? Yes. It's the bedrock of Western culture. And when taught right, it's even constitutional I went to the Dr.'s yesterday about a lung infection and saw this on the top of the pile of magazines ... I put aside any hypochondria-tendencies and just had to give it a read. Check it out ... let me know what you think (i.e., as a Canadian). http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1601845,00.html Here are some excerpts: Should the Holy Book be taught in public schools? Yes. It's the bedrock of Western culture. And when taught right, it's even constitutional. Miss Kendrick came ready, with props. The day's topic was the Gospel of Matthew. "You can divide all the Beatitudes into two parts," Jennifer Kendrick explained to her teenage audience. "The 'Blessed are the whateve...