I remember clutching to my Curious George doll when I was five years old, tears falling in a cloud of confusion. One hand holding on to my dad’s shirt and wondering why my sister and I were being taken away. That night, I was in so much pain. I still wonder how in one moment, how one person can experience so much loss? Are we destined to feel pain, to lose, to get diseases and die? Is this our fate?... Read more
A classic Dilbert comic strip features Dogbert performing an exorcism. In the famous panel, he waves a wand and says with frustration, “Out, out you demons of stupidity!” I felt like channeling Dogbert this morning when I read The New York Times’ summary of the latest survey from the well-respected Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: “Basic Religion Test Stumps Many Americans.” The headline-grabbing discovery was that, “Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as... Read more
“My theology has changed a lot over the years. Here is a list of things I now believe and when I question these beliefs, as I have for a few years, they seem to strengthen and mature with time.” Guest blogger Andrew Tatusko gets honest about his theology… Read more
This weird little parable places us in the role of the servants. What motives are in our hearts as we do our job as disciples? God should reward me? Others should recognize, honor and serve me? I should be upgraded to first class and receive free breakfast vouchers, a Christmas bonus, and a plaque on the wall at the entrance with my picture and “Employee of the Month” as the caption? Read more
{This is a continuation on from something I started talking about here: Post-Structural Christianity} Certain readers resented me when they could no longer recognize their territory, their institution. Jacques Derrida I used to think it mattered what kinds of shoes I wore. If I had the latest name-brand thing or if I was able to purchase the new Ipad. Sometimes, I still do. Status seems to run through the veins of our society. Status anxiety seems to be an inherent... Read more
Despite his professed atheism, Sam Harris might be surprised to learn that a theist agrees with many aspects of his proposal for a science of morality, has been thinking about the issue for longer, and perhaps only wishes to extend/deflect it in scope. Read more
It’s the middle of the night and I am not sleeping. This doesn’t happen often, but tonight between intense days of offering hospitality, anticipation of family travels and the cusp of a new year of life, sleep is elusive for now. And so I turn to what I have come to believe is my primary vocation in this part of my life, a vocation of prayer. Read more
"Yesterday I had one of the those "bad daddy" moments..." Presbyterian Pastor Bruce Reyes-Chow on remembering that parenting is a gift and a calling. Read more
I love to sing in church. Which usually leads to the folks sitting near me starting to glance back to see who’s singing so…loud. And then they mention it during the passing of the peace. “Was that you I could hear?” Some of them say it was nice or compliment my voice. But some just look vaguely shocked that anyone is singing so…loudly. Read more
Much like when we were children and were told about the monsters in our closet, (although they didn't really exist), because someone in a position of authority said they should, we easily believed the lie. Homophobia is the monster in the closet to which it should never have resided. There should be no closet where the fabled monster lives. Read more
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