There are several upcoming events in Indianapolis related to refugees and justice, a subject that has been very much on my mind, as I’ll be teaching a course that will run over the entirety of the next academic year, in parallel with the Butler Seminar on Religion and Global Affairs, the theme of which for [Read More…]
Authentic Power and Gentleness: A Meeting With Pēteris Vasks
August 24, 2016 by Leave a Comment
A piece that I wrote for the Latvian national music organization back in 2004 vanished from the internet at some point. I recently discovered that I still had the text of the piece in an e-mail, and so I thought I would share it here. Authentic Power and Gentleness: A Meeting With Pēteris Vasks Last week I [Read More…]
Hot and Cold Baptist Evangelism
July 7, 2016 by 12 Comments
I saw this truck in front of me and had to take a photo. I am disappointed that they missed the opportunity to use Revelation 3:15 as their logo. Revelation 3:15, in case you don’t know it, says “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!” Something from Daniel [Read More…]
A Baptist Approach to Science Fiction
June 8, 2016 by 3 Comments
I saw the above meme on Facebook, and was struck by several aspects of it. First, the treatment of allegiance to sci-fi franchises as comparable to religion caught my attention. And then I started thinking about this “Baptist” approach which emphasizes that adherence is a choice that one should make when one is able to [Read More…]
Preaching On Sin
June 22, 2015 by 16 Comments
This cartoon nicely illustrates the point that we all enjoy condemning those whose sins are obvious to us, while we bristle at anyone who points out our own. If there is something that fundamentalists, conservatives, moderates, progressives, and liberals all share in common, it is this tendency, and the fact that none of us can [Read More…]
The Phoenix Affirmations: A Progressive Christian Statement
June 15, 2015 by 99 Comments
Chuck Queen recently shared the text of the Phoenix Affirmations in Baptist News. I am sharing them in turn below, and hope you will discuss them in the comments section. CHRISTIAN LOVE OF GOD INCLUDES: Walking fully in the Path of Jesus without denying the legitimacy of other paths that God may provide for humanity. Listening [Read More…]
Dr. Paul Gitwaza to Speak in Indianapolis
June 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
I just recently had this event drawn to my attention, and wanted to spread the word. Dr. Gitwaza will also be participating in the licensing service for Emmanuel Musinga at my own church, Crooked Creek Baptist Church, on Saturday, June 13th, beginning at 4pm. Here is the announcement from the church Facebook page: Crooked Creek [Read More…]
One God, One…Wait, What?!
June 8, 2015 by 6 Comments
I’m not sure whether this proves that saying “one God” plus one of something else does not imply the divinity of whoever or whatever is mentioned alongside God, or whether this proves the opposite. But it is an interesting addition to the words of Scripture, ironically highlighting the unbiblical character of King James onlyism in the [Read More…]
Good and Evil
May 28, 2015 by 6 Comments
Let us now define the New Christian Right as people who get more upset about the possibility that they might have to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding than they do about revelations that their own representatives have not only molested children but covered up such molestation. If we can even call those “values” [Read More…]
Sacred Doubt
May 12, 2015 by 2 Comments
Healthy doubt is often the prelude to deeper relationships and a richer faith… If our doubts can lead us into a deeper connection to our faith tradition where orthopraxy trumps orthodoxy and into a deeper relationship with the Divine where love trumps doctrine then we may indeed find religion and spirituality life transforming.Good religion and [Read More…]
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