Let me tell you here first, “trust in God” has never floated my boat as a viable answer to religious questions. From a student notebook On the day after Christmas 2004, the third strongest earthquake ever measured, deep under the Indian Ocean, caused a tsunami that resulted in the deaths of close to 250,000 people. The vast majority of those who lost their lives were among the poorest people on the planet, the very people who are often most vulnerable to... Read more
Last Sunday was the Fifth Sunday of Lent; we are heading directly for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter. We all hope that resurrection of all sorts is on the near horizon. Nine years ago, I was asked to give the sermon for the Fifth Sunday of Lent at the Episcopal church I attend. With a few updates, here is what I said: In the liturgical year, the Fifth Sunday of Lent focuses on Jesus’ signature miracle–the raising of Lazarus.... Read more
My friend Mitch, who is the priest-in-charge at the Episcopal church I attend, has asked me provide a short reflection this morning as Trinity Episcopal does “virtual church” on Facebook Live for the second consecutive week. Here’s what I’ll say: In the early days of Christianity, the desert monks had a saying, a divine directive that explained their calling: Fuge, Pace, et Quiesce. Loosely translated: Step back. Be quiet. And be at peace. It strikes me that this is a... Read more
It has not been lost on many persons familiar with the Christian liturgical calendar that the developing Coronavirus pandemic, along with social distancing, sheltering in place, as well as the accompanying fear and concern is happening during Lent. Everyone is presented with the opportunity–chosen or forced–to consider different ways of being, the sort of thing that Lent is supposedly about. Above all each of us is presented daily with the opportunity to engage directly with the person who most of... Read more
Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels, descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. Fanny Crosby, “Blessed Assurance” A couple of days ago, one of my students wrote the following in her latest intellectual notebook entry for “Apocalypse,” a colloquium that I am currently team-teaching with a friend and colleague from the English department for the third consecutive spring semester: At the start of this class in January, I never could... Read more
Today is my oldest son Caleb’s 41st birthday. He wears it well. When my daughter-in-law Alisha told me at her surprise 40th birthday party a year and a half ago that she was going to start running, and wanted to run a marathon eventually, I was both surprised and mildly skeptical. When I found out not long afterward that Caleb was joining her in this commitment, I said, “Yeah, that ain’t happening.” But last January, I took a quick trip... Read more
Lead on King Eternal, the day of march has come Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tents shall be our home Through days of preparation, Thy grace hath made us strong And now O King Eternal we lift our battle song. Many of the hymns of my childhood shared a common theme—we Christian believers are at war and must be prepared to do battle at any moment. From “Lead On, O King Eternal” and “Onward Christian Soldiers” through “Soldiers of Christ, Arise,”... Read more
There is something appropriate about teaching a course named “Apocalypse” in the middle of world whose social conventions and expectations are changing so quickly that some are throwing the word “apocalyptic” around. Last week was my college’s Spring Break; it was also the week during which the college, as did virtually every other institution of higher learning in this country, chose to move all classes to distance format until after Easter Break in a few weeks. My guess is that... Read more
God would have us know that we must live as people who manage our lives without God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer In my introductory ethics class, we are currently in the middle of a unit called “Does God Have Anything to Do With Ethics?” Perhaps it is a feature of teaching at a Catholic college, but I am frequently surprised by how many of my students are convinced that the only basis for being moral is belief in a God who will hold... Read more
If there ever was a time when Jesus’ suggestion that we should “not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries; today’s trouble is enough for today,” it’s right now. The similar Stoic challenge to not waste energy worrying about or trying to influence things outside of one’s control (which includes just about everything) sounds like good, timely advice as well. Contemporary people, particularly Americans, are not particularly good at doing this, of course. Now would be a... Read more
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