During his Easter Sunday homily, my friend Mitch—the rector of the Episcopal church I attend—told the story of Gladys, a life-long pillar of her Congregational church, one of only three churches within a seventy-mile radius in her area of the rural Midwest; the other two were Lutheran and Roman Catholic. One fateful Easter morning, Gladys arrived with her three children in tow, ready for Easter festivities. The homily was given by young man who, according to Gladys, was “too smart... Read more
“Now abide faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.” These words from the apostle Paul are heard at many, perhaps most, weddings. Everyone wants to believe that love is the greatest, especially on their wedding day. Faith seems to be part of my DNA—challenging it, trying to get rid of it, redefining it, being confused by it, and generally struggling with the “f-word” (as I call it in the classroom) has shaped me for as long... Read more
Easter Sunday–the most triumphant day on the Christian liturgical calendar. According to New Testament scholar and theologian N. T. Wright, “The practical, theological, spiritual, ethical, pastoral, political, missionary, and hermeneutical implications of the mission and message of Jesus differ radically depending upon what one believes happened at Easter.” That very well may be true–and it’s a problem for me, since I’m not sure what I believe happened at Easter. I believe in resurrection. I believe in the beauty of the... Read more
During the college basketball season, Jeanne and I frequently watch a replay of the Providence Friars’ most recent game (when we win) the next day. The moment to moment drama can be tense in replay, even when we know what the outcome will be. We never watch a loss the next day—why submit ourselves voluntarily to an experience that we know ends badly? Even the worst of times can be weathered and perhaps appreciated when one knows that things work... Read more
Some people can sleep anywhere. One of those people was a student in one of my seminars a few semesters ago. Bob (his name has been changed to protect the innocent) is a bright but apparently less-than-motivated student whose verbal work, such as participation in seminar, vastly exceeds his written or objective work, such as reading quizzes and the midterm exam. He’s one of those students who always has something to say that is relevant and insightful, carefully crafted to... Read more
What is bothering me incessantly is the question of what Christianity really is, or indeed who Christ really is, for us today. The time when people could be told everything by means of words, whether theological or pious, is over, and so is the time of inwardness and conscience—and that means the time of religion in general. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters from Prison One day a few springs ago, I spent a day as an outside reviewer for the Liberal Arts Program at... Read more
Today is Palm Sunday, one of the most dramatic days on the liturgical calendar. But there is one reported event attributed to Palm Sunday that it makes an appearance in the liturgy every Sunday. And each time I say or sing this part of the liturgy, I remember a beloved colleague. Rodney Delasanta was one of best teachers and colleagues I ever had the privilege of knowing. Rodney was a true Renaissance man—a Chaucer scholar, family man, sports fan (especially... Read more
“What’s the difference between chili con carne and chili con queso?” I ask my freshman students. “One is chili with meat, the other is chili with cheese,” they reply, wanting to know why I would ask a stupid question with such an obvious answer in the middle of a class on the Gospel of Luke. As I often do, I give them a quick lesson in etymology (because, as I have told them many times, words are cool). “The Latin... Read more
The sea pronounces something, over and over, in a hoarse whisper. I cannot quite make it out. Annie Dillard The past few days have been very disorienting. A bit over a week week ago, Jeanne and I were in a serious automobile accident. The car was totaled, but we walked away with only a few bumps and bruises. Those who have seen pictures of the accident and our demolished car have frequently remarked that God protected us, that Big Bird (Jeanne’s... Read more
Over the past several years, I have found myself in frequent conversations with conservative Christians, most frequently on this blog, about a number of different issues. These conversations often are focused on the practical implications of the Christian faith—how might one expect one’s Christian faith to work out in real time? For instance, what sorts of political and social positions might a serious Christian faith lead one to? As you might imagine, these conversations have been interesting, to say the... Read more
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