All Biblical literalists have a problem. They cannot teach us anything. It took me a while to figure this out. After all, I was brought up in a literalist tradition. I learned a lot about the Bible. I read and studied commentaries written by literalists. But what I really learned was how to use the Bible to argue for certain doctrinal positions. Proof-texting and universalizing certain ideas about the nature of holy scripture allows literalists to develop a circular “worldview.”... Read more
Lent is another word for Spring. I was surprised to learn this fact. Somehow, I got the idea it meant “fasting” or something similar. No one asks me, “What are you giving up for Spring?” It does not make much sense. But if someone asked what I was doing for Spring, I have several answers. It makes me ponder how Lent as an observance factors into these other tasks. Lent And Gardeners Where I live, we plant beans on Good... Read more
The round-the-clock 11 day revival worship in Hughes Auditorium has ended by order of the University President. Thus illustrating a major problem of youth and young adult revivals. The stones did not cry out (not yet at least). I wonder how long the copy-cat revivals will continue. My guess is they will not last much longer than Presidents’ Day weekend. It makes me sad. Call such revivals what you will – mountain top highs, spiritual masturbation, or mass enthusiasm or... Read more
People forget George Wallace was a populist. He is known as a white racist segregationist who “stood in the schoolhouse door.” Wallace is not remembered for being “a man of the people.” His supporters could claim the Governor is “one of us” without any sense of irony. The present state of American Christianity is a populist problem. The problems within The United Methodist Church is really a populist issue. Churches that are disaffiliating are following the message of populism. We... Read more
It is that time of year again. We are in skunk mating season. Love is in the air. The roads have the bodies of male animals that are now out of the gene pool. That is what happens when certain drives overcome the will to survive. Every inattentive driver knows the horrid smell of Pepe LePew perfume too late. It is also Valentine’s day. I do not remember when I first learned the two went together. I decided today to... Read more
Divine Rage? Yes. I am reading Valerie Kaur’s memoir See No Stranger with a group of people from church. It has a nice title. But what got my attention is her chapter “Rage.” We often talk about anger in church. We do not, however, talk about rage. Kaur is a Sikh. Her interest in the topic of divine rage is rooted in her own experience or patriarchal manipulation. She finds her solution in the religious traditions of southern Asia. What about... Read more
The culture war sells and destroys. It is a war after all. Wars are meant to be won by whatever means are available. Unless they are profitable. Herein lies the dilemma of all wars. How long can you wage one until you destroy yourself? No one really knows the limit until it has been crossed. Politicians and pastors continue waging the latest culture war in the United States with no end in sight. Yet, the appalling sight of the self-destruction... Read more
The overused word movement should be exorcised from our religious vocabulary. But if I cannot have that, let’s try doing without it for say four years. Eric Hoffer famously says, “Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.” Another author puts the idea in a religious context. “Every revival begins in caves and dies in cathedrals.” The thought behind both of these statements is that the beginning is always pure while the... Read more
A boy said, “There are people who belong to the devil.” He hastily added, “No one here, of course.” He then started giving examples. The director looked to me. I contradicted everything he and many of the other children and adults heard in their lives. “No one belongs to the devil,” I pronounced. Are not we all supposed to be a brother or sister or family to everyone else? Pastor Don said it. And that settled it. Of course, my... Read more
Human beings are story tellers. If there is a difference between humans and the great apes, it is that we tell stories. Our brains develop each other by sharing narratives. Prometheus supposedly gave human beings fire and began the technological advancement of humans. Our modern version of the tale is once human beings had fire, we began telling stories around the central fire place. The great monotheistic religions are often called “revealed” religions. God reveals the divine self to prophets... Read more
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