Practical Theology: On Others’ Mystical Experiences

Last updated on: July 17, 2014 at 1:51 am By Aric Clark

We got the authors of three recent books of practical theology together and asked them to bang their ideas around to see what interesting overlaps and contrasts emerged. Andrew Root of Luther Seminary recently wrote Christopraxis: A Practical Theology of the Cross. Mark Van Steenwyk, founder of the Mennonite Worke Community, wrote The UNkingdom of God: Embracing the Subversive Power of Repentance. The guys from Two Friars and a Fool, Aric Clark, Doug Hagler, and Nick Larson wrote Never Pray... Read more

Bearing Beauty: The Studio P(atheos) Interview Series with Guest Josh Cleveland

Last updated on: July 9, 2014 at 7:52 pm By Deborah Arca

“My Dad’s a really good hugger. It’s kind of like being hugged by a big grizzly bear, without the mauling. Sometimes getting lost is a bad thing, but sometimes you just need to get lost in those places where you’re comforted. And sometimes that’s in the arms of those you love.” — Josh Cleveland, singer/songwriter Ready for another beauty break? So were we! We have a fantastic musician joining us in Studio P(atheos) this week as part of our new... Read more

Wild Christianity at the Wild Goose Festival

Last updated on: August 19, 2014 at 4:32 pm By Deborah Arca

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“God did not outsource mercy; God said ‘I’ll come myself!'” — Rev. William Barber “The question isn’t ‘What Would Jesus Do?’, but rather ‘What is Jesus doing now?'” — Joerg Rieger The blessed Wild Goose Festival reminds me year after year, thank God, of what it really means to be a Christian. I’ve just come “down from Goose mountain,” so to speak — enormously grateful once again for the messy, muddy, and drenched wake-up call, Holy Spirit-infusion that is the... Read more

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Is On the Wrong Side of History

Last updated on: July 1, 2014 at 10:03 pm By Chuck Queen

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The church I pastor (Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort, Kentucky) is affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a group that broke away from the fundamentalist dominated Southern Baptist Convention in 1991. Cecil Sherman was the first Executive Coordinator of CBF and I distinctly remember the story he shared with a small group of pastors that met with him in 1992 who were in much prayer and thought about leading their churches out of the SBC to be part of the new... Read more

Kids Make the Road by Walking, Too: On Progressive Christian Families and the Bible

Last updated on: July 2, 2014 at 8:46 pm By John Stonecypher

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Brian McLaren says we make the road by walking, that we discover and build our faith by living it. My wife and I agree with this. But we never thought our kids would be making the road with us. Our children are 12, 9, and 2, and we’d planned to have the road nicely paved by now. Instead, we have something more like a more-or-less visible footpath through the woods. There are spots in the path where you sink into... Read more

Yung Me Suh Morris: Inspired, and Grieving, after the PC(USA) General Assembly #GA221

Last updated on: June 30, 2014 at 8:27 pm By Guest Contributor

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By Yung Me Suh Morris After 10 days in Detroit working as a volunteer for 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA, I am inspired, energized, exhausted, and also grieved. We connected with friends and met new ones. We learned of new worshipping communities and new resources available to make existing ministries more vibrant. We voted on the side of justice and celebration by passing in favor of same sex marriage within our denomination and another significant vote that... Read more

Global Violence Against Women and Girls: Weep with Me and Then Work with Me

Last updated on: June 26, 2014 at 11:26 pm By Deborah Arca

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of hosting a live chat on the new book The Cross and Gendercide: A Theological Response to Global Violence Against Women and Girls by Elizabeth Gerhardt. The compelling and timely conversation featured Gerhardt, a theology and social ethics professor, and guests Shayne Moore (author, blogger, activist), Kyle Roberts (author, blogger and professor) and Alisa Roadcup (executive director of Heshima Kenya). The recording of our conversation is below. I strongly encourage you to watch... Read more

A Joyful Feast: A Q&A with Companions on the Inner Way Director Carolyn Foster

Last updated on: June 24, 2014 at 4:13 pm By Deborah Arca

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I count as one of the greatest blessings in my life the day I went to work for The Program in Christian Spirituality at the San Francisco Theological Seminary in my late 20s. Not only did I get to join forces in youth ministry with the incredibly gifted Mark Yaconelli, but I was also introduced to an entirely new way of practicing my faith. I learned to be a “contemplative Christian” at SFTS and to date, I still consider that... Read more

An Embracing Step: Final Thoughts from the PC(USA) General Assembly

Last updated on: June 25, 2014 at 4:06 pm By Scott Clark

[Editor’s Note: This is the last in a series of reflections and prayer posts from the biennial General Assembly of the PC(USA) offered by the Rev. Scott Clark, Chaplain and Associate Dean of Student Life at the San Francisco Theological Seminary.] “The gavel has fallen on the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).” I saw that and heard that a lot on Saturday. From my seat in the assembly hall, I might also add this: The last embraces of the... Read more

I Corinthians 13: Colossus, Rise & Swallow Death

Last updated on: December 22, 2014 at 8:00 pm By Arik Bjorn

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“When Enkidu heard these words he tore out the Bull’s right thigh and tossed it in her face saying, ‘If I could lay my hands on you, it is this I should do to you, and lash the entrails to your side.’” The Epic of Gilgamensh “And now I will show you the most excellent way.” St. Paul, private letter to the Christian community at Corinth Imagine what it’s like to live in Istanbul—a city so great they named it,... Read more