The Tongue of a Teacher

Last updated on: May 30, 2013 at 7:30 am By Vance Morgan

The Palm Sunday celebration in a liturgical Christian church is both confusing and jarring. Everyone with a religious molecule in their bodies knows that Palm Sunday is about Jesus riding triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey (or colt), but this gets only about fifteen minutes of air time in the Palm Sunday liturgy. The priest reads the Palm Sunday gospel, the ushers distribute palms while everyone sings “All Glory, Laud and Honor” or something similar, the Old Testament reading, Psalm,... Read more

Living Stones

Last updated on: May 26, 2013 at 7:30 am By Vance Morgan

The Bible is filled with rocks. The patriarchs pile rocks up every time they want to remember a place where they encountered the transcendent. Moses strikes rocks twice, once in obedience and once in anger, to produce water for the thirsty and complaining Israelites. David drops Goliath with a stone thrown from a sling. Satan tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread and have something to eat. And so on. I’m sure there’s a dissertation on Biblical rocks in there... Read more

Smith’s Pasture

Last updated on: May 23, 2013 at 7:04 am By Vance Morgan

Summer’s almost here–enjoy this one from last October! Read more

Tapestries and Quilts

Last updated on: May 14, 2013 at 7:19 am By Vance Morgan

A reblog from October for all of the bibliophiles out there! Read more

The Dawn From On High

Last updated on: May 12, 2013 at 7:15 am By Vance Morgan

It has been a beautiful spring in Rhode Island (so far). After more than a week of consecutive sunny days in the fifties and sixties, followed by two or three days of the sort of showers that humans grumble about but flowers and grass love, all of the growing things in the yard were smiling when I left for campus this morning. This all reminds me of my first Minnesota spring four years ago as I entered my last few... Read more

A Practicing Atheist

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 7:22 am By Vance Morgan

A repeat from last September–enjoy! Read more

Buster and Donna

Last updated on: May 3, 2013 at 8:10 am By Vance Morgan

Add Yesterday the little state of Rhode Island, my home for the past eighteen years, did itself proud. The legislature passed, and the Governor signed into law, legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island. With gratitude for this legislation which has been a long time in coming, as well as in celebration of all of the wonderful varieties of human love, I am reposting “Buster and Donna,” my Valentine’s Day post about one of my favorite couples. Enjoy! Read more

A Visit from Big Bird

Last updated on: May 2, 2013 at 7:30 am By Vance Morgan

My text to Jeanne at 6:37 AM, Thursday April 25: This is promising to be a very taxing day. Big Bird had better show up. The people who know me best, and even those who don’t know me that well, are aware that by nature I am incurably optimistic. It takes a lot for me to go negative. I’m also not in the habit of giving the Holy Spirit ultimatums, although my father did it all the time. So what’s the... Read more

Adepto Ex Meus Visio

Last updated on: April 30, 2013 at 7:31 am By Vance Morgan

My Mistress

Last updated on: April 28, 2013 at 7:00 am By Vance Morgan

Twenty years ago I encountered a remarkable woman; over the past two days we hosted a conference on my campus that brought scholars from North America and Europe to discuss and celebrate her work. A few reflections . . . My mistress is not beautiful; she’s not even pretty. Truth be told, she’s homely. She dresses with no regard for what she looks like, usually wearing baggy pants and sweatshirt combinations, together with an ankle length trenchcoat-style garment and a ratty... Read more

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