Shifting Culture Ep. 354 Greg Boyd - God Looks Like Jesus
Oct 20, 2025
Greg Boyd, founder of Woodland Hills Church and author, explores the revolutionary idea that God looks like Jesus, fully revealed in the crucified Christ. He challenges conventional views on God's nature, emphasizing unconditional love and nonviolence. Boyd discusses how the cross should shape our reading of Scripture, reframe interpretations of Old Testament violence, and inspire love for enemies. He also reflects on living as a distinct kingdom people, resisting enmeshment with political powers while advocating for sacrificial service and care for the marginalized.
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Read Scripture Through The Cross
- Recenter your Bible reading on the cross because it culminates Jesus' ministry and reveals God's character.
- Use the cruciform focus as a guardrail to reduce projection onto the text.
Why Violent Old Testament Images Exist
- Boyd explains biblical violence as part of progressive revelation and cultural accommodation by human authors.
- The cross reveals God's true character and reframes violent portraits as reflective of human sin and context.
The Cross Explains Troubling Texts
- The ugliness of the cross displays sin while the cross itself reveals God's sacrificial love.
- Violent biblical portrayals can reflect the sin God enters to redeem, not God's ideal character.
