The word of the day is “delivered.”  Nowadays, the new takes precedence over the old.  Most advertising claims that its products are “new,” “improved,” and “changed” for the better.  Much scholarship also offers what is novel.  It presumes that new discoveries, approaches, methods, and technologies will advance human knowledge and improve living standards.  In theology, also, the quest to keep up with contemporary trends drives scholarly investigation.  At all costs, researchers and writers strive to avoid the fearful judgment that their work is irrelevant and out of touch with today’s world. Yet today, in our reading of Jude 1:1-10, we hear a warning against novelty in the teaching and understanding of the faith.  The apostle writes, “I found it necessary…

The word of the day is “delivered.”  Nowadays, the new takes precedence over the old.  Most advertising claims that its products are “new,” “improved,” and “changed” for the better.  Much scholarship also offers what is novel.  It presumes that new discoveries, approaches, methods, and technologies will advance human knowledge and improve living standards.  In theology, also, the quest to keep up with contemporary trends drives scholarly investigation.  At all costs, researchers and writers strive to avoid the fearful judgment that their work is irrelevant and out of touch with today’s world. Yet today, in our reading of Jude 1:1-10, we hear a warning against novelty in the teaching and understanding of the faith.  The apostle writes, “I found it necessary…