Tag Archives: church
The cost of integrity: lessons from August Landmesser
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and this week a picture circulating around social networks is doing just that:
The photo was taken in Hamburg in 1936, during the celebrations for the launch of a Nazi ship. As you will note in the portion circulated, one person refuses to raise his arms in support of the National Socialist movement. The name of the man is reported … There’s more to read here.
Advent week 1: Annie Dillard, Genealogies of Christ and a season of snowballs
Advent is the season of hope and expectation. It is knocking on the door and hoping beyond hope that the God we blithely evoke in prayers and service all year long will throw open the door and meet us face-to-face. ”Maybe this year…” we wonder to ourselves “perhaps this will be the year.” But like generations before us we also live in the cynicism of expecting that nothing will noticeably change … There’s more to read here.
The future of the Church is the future of the seminary: looking through the correct end of the telescope
There have been a recent spate of posts in the media and blogosphere trying to get at the so-called “Future of Seminary Education”. The web portal Patheos.com has sponsored a large online symposium addressing the question that continues to grow.
As a seminary graduate, faculty member at a few seminaries mentioned in the discussions as well as the Associate Dean of a seminary that is trying to see what the … There’s more to read here.
The theology of the Occupy movement – we are the 99%
There have been so many off-shoots of the Occupy movement lately, some of it has been serious alignment with this important public discussion of corporate responsibility and government collusion and some of the blog chatter has simply been unreflective snark or poor satire. That said, people have taken the opportunity to make their voice heard, share a common vision, and reach out and connect with others who share these passions.… There’s more to read here.
Can you love God without a political party? Freedom of the Self and ‘Republicanity’
In the introduction to my book Freedom of the Self, I open with a story regarding Rembrandt’s famous 1642 painting “the Nightwatch” I heard while viewing it a few years ago in Amsterdam that frames—both literally and figuratively—my concern with the church today and, in particular, a misguided loss of personhood for many faithful people.
Those who have seen many of the 17th century Dutch master Rembrandt Harmenszoon … There’s more to read here.
Pastor/Professor seeking Church – applications are now being accepted
Lately I am in a slump regarding the local church. I have been a pastor in a few different congregations and attended a number of churches in the US, UK and Europe. I have had peek experiences and cringe worthy ones. True, the call of the church is bigger than my experience and needs. True, the marks of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church permeate the momentary concerns of … There’s more to read here.
Emergent vs. Progressive: Phyllis Tickle, WB Yeats, Toad the Wet Sprocket and learning to let go
Last year I published a book entitled Freedom of the Self which was essentially an extended meditation on missional and emergent theology in light of kenosis. The book gets into areas of Continental philosophy as well and is one of those arguments in theology that often casts you as a radical, heretic, apostate or worse. One of the points I tried to make in the book is that the … There’s more to read here.
Life after Pentecost – the Spirit in the Material World
This past Sunday is known in the Christian year as “Pentecost Sunday” which celebrates the beginning of the Christian church with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as noted in Acts 2. What results from the outpouring of the Spirit is a movement toward radical community, signs and wonders of power, healing and reconciliation as well as the assurance that the promises of Jesus Christ are not merely waiting at … There’s more to read here.
3 Things U2 has that the Church needs: Life after Emergent and the “Iron Maypole” movements
“What can I give back to God for the blessings he poured out on me? What can I give back to God for the blessings he poured out on me? I lift high the Cup of Salvation as a toast to our Father To follow through on a promise I made to you from the heart…”
– Bono’s intro to “Where the Streets Have No Name”, U2 in Boston, Elevation
5 things Oprah taught the world
Last night, Oprah Winfrey ended a 25 year, 4,561 episode run of the Oprah Winfrey Show not in a massive stadium spectacle nor by giving away cars or even having Tom Cruise jumping on the sofa next to her. No, she zeroed in on what the world loves her for: she stood before her regular TV audience – estimated viewing of 48 million per week and probably 60 million watching her finale last … There’s more to read here.
