This weekend I was set to speak in Detroit. A few hours before the event, I got news that our brother Richard Twiss had crossed over to the other side, after a massive heart attack a few days ago. With tears running down my face, we started the event by lighting a candle for Richard and putting his big ole smiling face up on the screen – and we carried him with us through the evening. Before I went to... Read more
WHY WEREN’T WE TOLD? A Handbook on ‘progressive’ Christianity, edited by Rex Hunt and John Smith (Polebridge Press, Westar Institute) and LIVING THE QUESTIONS: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity, by David Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy (Harper One) WHY WEREN’T WE TOLD? – that you don’t have to take the Bible literally in order to be a serious, faithful Christian? That’s the question engaged in this book edited by progressive Christian leaders from “Down Under”. WHY WEREN’T WE TOLD? comprises a richly eclectic introduction to theologically and... Read more
How often have you stifled a deeply emotional response to a person or situation – or even yourself – out of a sense of wanting to be “a good Christian?” In a new book, The Passionate Jesus: What We Can Learn from Jesus about Love, Fear, Grief, Joy and Living Authentically, the Rev. Peter Wallace challenges our traditional response as he gently dismantles the popular misconception of Jesus as calm and collected, floating above the drama of our lives. In fact, Wallace... Read more
This past week, I’ve engaged in a couple of intense conversations about manhood in America. A lovely, thoughtful young friend of our family, age 25, was lamenting that she could not find men her age who were worth the trouble of dating. She finds herself interested only in men who are at least ten years older than she is. “They’re the only ones who ask questions and follow through on commitments!” In another chat, a former student of mine who... Read more
It’s been a long time since I’ve approached something like this. I “came out” as an atheist a few years ago, and I’ve tried to avoid finding “the right interpretation” of the Bible since then. I used to love it. But, over time, it got really frustrating when I finally realized that no one really cared if I had arrived at some fresh interpretation. Interestingly, a few months ago I listened to some interviews with Jehovah’s Witnesses and actually agreed with many... Read more
[Editor’s Note: This was the sermon preached at my UCC church yesterday, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. I found it remarkable on so many levels, that I asked the Rev. Eric Smith if I could share it here at Faith Forward on this important holiday. Enjoy!] A Sermon from January 20, 2013 First Plymouth Congregational Church, Denver, CO By The Rev. Eric Smith 1 Corinthians 12-13 Paul, you have to remember, was writing letters. He didn’t sit down... Read more
The recent mass murder of children in a Connecticut school has resulted in at least some redemption, in the form of the current effort by the President to introduce sensible gun laws. Banning assault weapons and imposing universal gun registration would be modest measures to reduce the appalling level of gun violence in our country. But laws alone won’t solve the problem. If all of them were banned outright, our nation would continue to have more guns than citizens for... Read more
As a young pastor, one who will serve, pray, create, and organize in my city for many years ahead, I sense the need and the opportunity for other forms of Christianity. We are in a new day. Read more
By Ben Howard I’d heard of Jay Bakker before, but I’d never met him. I’d seen pictures, but never in person. He was smaller, more vulnerable. I have this vision of pastors and preachers being the kind of gravitational personalities that draw you in with loud, bombastic voices. That’s not Jay. From what I can tell he seems quiet, maybe even a little shy. If you don’t know who Jay Bakker is, you probably know his family, and if you... Read more
By Terry Ramone Smith I had a great weekend in Memphis. Saturday started off with the announcement of Animate Faith from SparkHouse, a video oriented small group curriculum for emerging churches. Animate features Brian McLaren, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Shane Hipps, Mark Scandrette, and Bruce Reyes-Chow (who has a book on race releasing next month called Words Matter.) What is the goal of Emergence Christianity? Emergence Christianity asks the question: is the future of Christianity the Church? Is our question one that... Read more
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