Theological Rants, Musings on the Mystical, and Wonderings about Stuff
Part of the job of the pastor is to help people articulate the questions and concerns that are heavy in their lives in a way that makes sense and connects them with the greater Christian tradition. The pastor should be a bridge between the academy and the pew which means the pastor needs to study theology.
Read MoreFreud’s writing is clear, to the point, and well thought out. He knows where he is going, what it is that he wants to get across and does his job well. In a time when more and more is written (thanks to the internet) and it seems that less and less is written well, it is important to read good writing.
Read MoreWe need to talk about sexuality. In a religious context, in our churches, we need to talk about homosexuality, heterosexuality, and sexuality in general. We need to talk about because to have these kinds of conversations (the difficult ones) is basic to what it means to be a part of a church community.
Read MoreA Review/Reflection of Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
Read MoreTo claim to be devoid of politics in the religious sphere is disingenuous; religion is, by nature, political and speaks to the current political context in one way or another. At one level or another to read scripture, to pray, or to attend and participate in worship is a political act.
Read MoreThere are those relationships that are surface, that are seen as strictly the level of acquaintance. There are those relationships of enemies, and those that are in passing. Those are interesting in their own ways, but I would like to consider those relationships that are deep, meaningful, and in various ways, intimate. I don’t want to focus on these relationships because I am some kind of creep (although that may be true in its own right), but because I think that in these relationships something is experienced and happens. It is my argument that in those deep and meaningful relationships we are made to be aware of something greater than that which can be seen or conceived.
Read MoreAdvent then is not merely remembering the past or a passive waiting to see if this second coming thing will actually happen but an active hoping for the Reign of God on earth.
Read MoreIn many ways faith is about world-building. We are not creating the world we live in, but offering explanations and descriptions for why the world is as it is. We start with certain assumptions and shared beliefs like the belief in the existence of God and that this God is love. Such a assumption shapes our view and experience of the world. From there we try to make sense of our experiences, we try to explain the dissonances, and we try to understand the world in which we dwell based on those assumptions.
Read MoreThe response of the Christian to poverty is not simple charity, but, reflecting the life of Christ, the giving of ourselves to the socially and economically vulnerable other.
Read MoreTo what end? To what end do we do what we do? To what end do we take on certain actions, tasks, and responsibilities? To what end do we follow different avenues of life?
While these may seem to be philosophical, existential questions that one muses on after times of deep, prolonged thought, I would also describe them as questions of economics, of gathering and earning, and concerning money.
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