Faith Forward

“In the dialectical movement of not “too much” and “not too” little, when it comes to the relationship of Christianity and national holidays, let me suggest some spiritual practices for the Fourth of July. These will place our national celebration in light of God’s present and future vision for our nation and the earth.” Bruce Epperly on expanding our sense of the Holy on our National Holiday.

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Several times a week, I willingly enter a small, 105-degree heated room and engage in a physically and mentally grueling set of 26 postures with nearly 20 other sweating participants for 90 minutes, concluding with a final deep savasana (dead man’s pose) in which i find myself completely exhausted, drenched and yet strangely renewed. These days, I claim Bikram yoga as one of my main spiritual practices, along with prayer and going to church.

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When I’m preparing to preach on a text, after I pray for guidance, I begin by reading the text as if I had never read it before, not an easy task. I then make note of observations, stories, memories, and questions that come to mind. I look for things that seem odd or perplexing. With regard to Jesus’ instructions to the seventy in Luke Chapter 10, a number of questions and thoughts come to mind…

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“I was raised in a conservative Christian home. But, by the time I entered high school, I had forsaken my Baptist roots. As a rather precocious spiritual seeker, the texts that inspired me throughout high school were the Tao Te Ching, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, The Lord of the Rings, The Teachings of Don Juan, Walden, and the writings of Emerson and Hesse. I found God through Hindu meditation and psychedelic adventures rather than the black-backed Bible that was my childhood guide.” Bruce Epperly looks back on the books that have shaped his faith journey.

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“All are saved eventually, even the Hutarees and Westboro folk, who may surprisingly find themselves in the afterlife, growing beside homosexuals, Hindus, and liberals.” Bruce Epperly debates the faith claim made by Christian fundamentalist groups.

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“In a world of chaos and complexity, this week’s scriptures invite us to trust God’s presence in the ordinary, simple, undramatic, and accessible realities that support and nourish us.” Theology Professor Bruce Epperly considers the countercultural vision of wholeness of body, mind, spirit, and relationship presented in the sermon texts for Sunday, July 4th.

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If you had to choose one book that has most deeply affected your faith life over the past ten years, what would it be? That’s the question we posed to some of our favorite theobloggers and authors at the beginning of summer. We also invited them to share the one book they think every Christian should read, but probably hasn’t yet.

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Leaders of the Presbyterian Church (USA) offer this pastoral letter and resources to those affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster…

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Why do so many Christians understand God in a way similar to other human agents, only infinitely more wise, powerful, and unseen? To some scientists, this ease of attributing events to some intelligent cause has suggested a way of explaining theistic beliefs.

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“Today’s texts invite us to choose to expect great things from God and ourselves. In opening to divine abundance and creativity, we go beyond polarizing thinking and discover new ways to transform our world.” Theology Professor Bruce Epperly considers what we can expect from God, as gleaned from this Sunday’s lectionary texts…

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