Liturgy · Laughter · Camaraderie · Contemplation
Since receiving a set of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s works for Christmas I have been doing some thinking. As you may know, Bonhoeffer was a German theologian executed by the Nazis toward the end of the Second World War, and one of his most important contributions has been his suggestion that what was needed in his own […]
According to Church tradition, Christmas doesn’t end when December 25th ends. Rather, that’s when Advent ends and Christmas begins. So I’ma keep talking about Christmas-y crap until I get bored with it. Deal. As I highlight in the latest episode of Misfit Faith, the union of heaven and earth, divinity and humanity, that we celebrate […]
Anyone who came up in the ’80s will remember Yoda telling Luke Skywalker, “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” But what if he was wrong? What if it’s both? I used to get a kick out of telling people that I’m “religious but not spiritual,” mostly because it confused them. But there was […]
In this week’s episode of Misfit Faith I will tackle the subject of guilt. It’s a big one. In my own past as a missionary and pastor, guilt was operative on both a personal and theological level. Theologically, the idea doing most of the heavy lifting was that I was born in sin, and from […]
There was once a woman in great distress, and to her surprise she experienced a vision while praying in which she was visited by the angel Gabriel. “Greetings, daughter of Eve,” the heavenly messenger said. “Word of your turmoil has reached my ears.” “Oh Gabriel!” the grieving woman exclaimed, “I am indeed burdened by both […]
In Acts 26 we encounter the apostle Paul as a prisoner on trial for his preaching: “King Agrippa,” Paul asked, “do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to be a Christian!” And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you but also all who […]