Michael Patrick Barber

Today is a day I have long awaited - it is the release day of my new book, The Historical Jesus and the Temple: Memory, Methodology, and the Gospel of Matthew (Cambridge University Press). Here is the cover and an excerpt from Dale Allison's kind Foreword amzn.to/3ocxwrP

@McGSTL5 @johnamonaco Moved here a year and a half ago. There are some rough areas but you can easily avoid those and find very affordable housing. Lots of young families moving here. It’s extraordinary!

@johnamonaco The city can be but St. Louis City and county are separated (unlike almost every other major city) so the stats are fairly skewed. West St. Louis County is extremely nice.

@McGSTL5 I remember St. Louis was listed back in the 2023 post, but I wasn't sold on the safety. Isn't the city pretty rough in terms of crime?

People should stop talking about "the head" vs. "the heart." Here's why. #HeadVsHeart #BibleTruth #Theology #BiblicalHeart #ChristianX #CatholicX #scripture #Catholic #CatholicTheology #BibleStudy #CatholicTwitter #ChristianTwitter #BiblicalStudies

Praying for Pope Leo's brother.

@barstoolsports @TheRealJHair It is painful to listen to him

Hearing a Joe Buck “Back at the Wall” with a crowd pop. Peak Baseball.

@AlexSpieldenner @canonlawyered It's a functional throwback to when the players all looked alike in a significant way.

@canonlawyered It's a functional throwback to the days when nobody wore numbers!

I’m 100% in favor of Jackie Robinson Day. But can we agree that every player wearing 42 makes the game confusing to watch?

@canonlawyered We can handle it for a day.

Joe Buck is ... #Dodgers #Mets #BaseballTwitter #ESPN

Joe Buck is truly one of the worst announcers. Watching this #Dodgers game on #ESPN is painful.

Happy Jackie Robinson Day! Grateful for this true American hero and for his example of faith and courage!

@OfficialNotDr @Augustine_Inst Thank you, @OfficialNotDr!

@MichaelPBarber @Augustine_Inst Definitely reflects extraordinarily well on the program and professors! Congratulations!

Very happy to share that THREE (3!) of my M.A. students at the @Augustine_Inst (Biblical Studies Program) had papers accepted for this year's SBL conference! Congratulations to Luke Ostberg, Joseph Rziha, & Sarah Wilder!! Well done! Wonderful to see hard work pay off! Let's go!

@PA_Imperator @ReasonTheology Thanks for the link! I can hear it both ways but slightly lean toward "land." I agree that "this land" makes more sense given the context. I'll also say this: I, for one, am grateful that we don't have access to most papal speeches given throughout history.

@MichaelPBarber @ReasonTheology It was said in a speech in English originally, and with his accent and the poor audio quality you can hear him say either “this land” or “Islam” depending on what you want yourself to hear. But “this land” makes more sense in the context of the rest of the speech.

I’m very concerned about this. I’ve often pointed out that Pope John Paul II, on March 21, 2000, prayed, “May Saint John the Baptist protect Islam.” However, the Vatican website now renders the line as, “May Saint John the Baptist protect this land.” Regardless of whether one agrees with what the pope originally said, altering the words of a deceased man in this way is troubling. It raises serious concerns about accuracy and honesty, and risks becoming a form of bearing false witness. It also raises a broader concern: if a change like this can occur, what else might have been altered? Situations like this can understandably erode trust and lead people to question the reliability of the Vatican.

Addendum: FOUR (4)! Congratulations to James Gillis!

Why did ancient Jews think there were 24 (or 22) scriptural books? The answer might surprise you. Check out this video I just posted to YouTube on the topic. (Trying to build that channel so please consider subscribing, sharing, etc. Thanks!) youtube.com/watch?v=X5TKXN…

@ReasonTheology Okay, thanks.

@MichaelPBarber It’s a good question. I cover that here: youtube.com/live/9HqND1FXv…

I absolutely do not miss driving through the mountains of Colorado. Some of the most terrifying experiences of my life. St. Louis is looking pretty good tonight.

Does Paul Really Mean What He Say in Romans 2? He writes, "the doers of the law will be justified." Does he mean this or is this merely a hypothetical rhetorical set up?

@jrmcmanaway Great book! I love this line: "the Bible has such an absolutely unique normative importance because it alone is really the sole book of the Church as Church." --Joseph Ratzinger, DOGMA AND PREACHING, p. 38

Ratzinger, Dogma and Preaching, 52.