The Faith of Thomas

Christopher Elwood

Professor of Historical Theology

April 29, 2011
John 20:19-31

Christ is risen! But, even after Easter, there’s still bad news and the world may not feel redeemed. How do we respond, genuinely and faithfully, to tragic events that shake us to the core? Perhaps we can learn something from the exemplary faith of Thomas ….Listen to the sermon.

The Case for Seeing

Christopher L. Elwood
Professor of Historical Theology

John 20:19-31
Originally preached on April 1, 2005

We continue our summer series of most popular sermons…
The old hymn tells us that "We walk by faith and not by sight..." And so, in most traditional interpretations of the story of so-called doubting Thomas, we are encouraged not to imitate the disciple who insists on seeing and touching the resurrected Jesus. But a closer reading suggests that visual experience is closely related to a biblical account of faith. The demand to see a real and tangible redemption just might be the touchstone of faith rather than its denial.

Listen to the sermon.