We are approaching the end of the Christian year. As always, the Gospel lessons focus on the end of things and the return of Jesus. This teaching, sometimes called apocalyptic, is always associated with this time of the church calendar. Many believers fervently await the coming of Christ in glory. Those of us in more…

Almost every two or three years we see stories in the news media about groups of people from different faith communities who have reached the conclusion that the time of the second coming of Christ is at hand. They will have reached this decision on the basis of their biblical research and study, and believe…