A Wideness in God’s Mercy
Today’s events have left me feeling a dozen or more different emotions. I thought about one of my favorite hymns, and I hope you will join me in prayer for the dead, the wounded, the mourning, and the one who shot the gun. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea; … Read more
Harry Potter’s Two Monuments
Like the rest of (what seems like) the country, Christie and I headed to the cinema this weekend to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 … twice. There are a number of good reviews out there, including those appearing online at Pop Theology, Relevant Mag, Think Christian, and Christianity Today, so I … Read more
Strangers and Foreigners on the Earth
The famed 11th chapter of Hebrews came up in the lectionary this week, and I really am taken with how Abraham’s faith in particular is narrated. The language of movement bookends chapter 11: chapter 10 ends with an exhortation to be among those who do not “shrink back,” while chapter 12 leads off with the … Read more
I Don’t Hold To That
This is part 2 of “Theology in the ‘Verse,” which deals with Joss Whedon’s Firefly TV series as it is continued in the feature film Serenity. This post contains spoilers, so if you are planning on watching the episodes or movie, check them out first and then come back to read and comment! What do … Read more
100 Words: Mystery + more
On Twitter this morning, Leonard Sweet shared a new project he’s working on, and invited others to help crowdsource the 100 words that are central to being a Christian. My first foray is “Mystery,” and I invite you to read & comment, and even vote at the 100 Words site if you like it…and of … Read more
Down on "religion" & up with "faith"?
I’ve noticed in a number of places the trend of opposing “religion” with “faith.” Setting up these two concepts as foils–as in “religion does x badly, while faith is perfectly y”–might be catchy, but is terribly false. The underlying concept seems to be something like religion, religiosity, etc. all have an institutional component which squeezes … Read more
Second Sight
Not to put too fine a point on it, but great minds think alike… The most recent dispatch from Bishop Janice Riggle Huie (Houston area, United Methodist Church) is another exercise in perceiving the presence of God, and worth a read: Seeing the Presence of God May you see and feel in a profound way … Read more
Full of Life
Sorry for the bloggus interruptus, but I’m back now. I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what is going on at the Student Center: what kind of ministry do we want, what kind of effect should we have at Lamar and elsewhere, how do we get there. The thing I keep coming back to is … Read more
Do Not Set Yourself On Fire
Do not set yourself on fire. This is the only piece of advice that I can give at the moment which can be helpful. As someone who has graduated from high school, college, and graduate school…not to mention kindergarten…I would have thought this would be pretty obvious. But, apparently, it needs to be said. Apparently, … Read more
