Faith Archives — R. L. Solberg

From Curiosity to Captivity: The Journey into Torah-Observant Christianity

Download the PDF Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with Christians who have become curious about the Torah-observant (or “Hebrew Roots”) movement. In most cases, that curiosity begins innocently, even admirably, with a sincere desire to understand the Jewish context of Scripture and to take the Bible seriously. At times, however, that interest is […]

R. L. Solberg 5 days agoJanuary 5, 2026

Apologetics Culture Faith Theology

A Brief History of Christmas

(An excerpt from the book Full of Grace and Truth: The Biblical Roots of Christmas) Every December, conversations about Christmas seem to flare up again—both joyful and skeptical. Some celebrate it as the heart of the Christian story; others question its origins or even reject it as a “borrowed” pagan holiday. Yet behind all the […]

R. L. Solberg 2 months agoNovember 10, 2025

Culture Faith Personal

Heartbreak in Minneapolis

As a nation, as fellow Christians—as human beings—the grief and anger run deep because of the cowardly act of evil and murder at Annunciation in Minneapolis on the morning of August 27, 2025. For my wife, Deb, and me, this tragedy hits close to home. Annunciation is the church and school she attended growing up. […]

R. L. Solberg 4 months agoAugust 30, 2025

Apologetics Faith Theology

To Whose Name Do We Bend Our Knee?

I was recently a guest on a show called Tanak Talk, where the host—having left Christianity to embrace Judaism—posed a question I found incisive. He pointed out an apparent tension between two texts: Isaiah 45:23, in which Yahweh declares, “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance,” and Philippians 2:10–11, where Paul […]

R. L. Solberg 6 months agoJuly 10, 2025

Faith Personal Theology

Why Galatians Matters Today

My parents tell me I was a curious child—always asking questions, challenging assumptions, and refusing to accept simple answers. I vividly remember the frustration of asking, “Why do I have to go to bed if I’m not tired?” only to hear the dreaded response, “Because I said so.” That answer so vexed my young soul […]

R. L. Solberg 8 months agoApril 28, 2025

Apologetics Culture Faith Theology

Busting the Easter-Pagan Myths

Every spring, like clockwork, claims resurface connecting Easter to ancient goddesses and mysterious pagan rituals. Could there be any truth to them? Let’s separate historical fact from Internet fiction and see if there truly are any pagan roots hidden in the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Ishtar and Easter Perhaps the most popular […]

R. L. Solberg 9 months agoApril 28, 2025

Faith Personal Theology

A Christmas Confession

By. R. L. Solberg. Originally published at 1517.org – The name Emmanuel means “God with us.” This morning, I found myself wondering why God would choose to do such an outrageous thing for our benefit. Why would the living God of the Universe come down and walk among the dust and sweat of the human […]

R. L. Solberg 12 months agoJanuary 6, 2025

Culture Faith Theology

Tribalism in the Church

Enjoy this article from friend and guest contributor, Pastor Joshua Lewis. Tribalism is rampant in our culture. If you’re a Macintosh enthusiast, you likely feel compelled to disdain Windows. If you prefer Ford, you’re expected to despise Toyota. Being a Cowboys fan isn’t enough; you must also detest the Eagles. And politics? Well, your social […]

R. L. Solberg 2 years agoApril 16, 2024

Faith Theology

Jesus as Our Sabbath Rest

In a recent episode of our apologetic Bible study series on Hebrews we discussed the idea of Jesus as our Sabbath rest. This episode stirred up a bit of controversy and a lot of questions, so it seemed fitting to take a moment to focus solely on the “Sabbath rest” aspect of Hebrews Chapter 4. […]

R. L. Solberg 2 years agoMarch 29, 2024

Faith Personal

Happy (Improbable) Anniversary!

Back in the early ’90s, when my wife Debra and I were in a band touring around the upper midwest, we drove past a restaurant called Happy Chef. In front of the restaurant stood a 20-foot-tall statue of an endlessly smiling chef raising a wooden spoon in the air. Our drummer, Chris, laughed and said, […]

R. L. Solberg 2 years agoJanuary 11, 2024