Integrity, when offered for sale, always sells for too little. In a world where security is the paramount virtue, Christians often trade our commitment to love others for acceptance by someone else. We find ourselves glorifying “friends” to maintain a good reputation among them. We wish to avoid accusations that threaten our security. And we wish to have enough or more than enough money to do things that we deem important. Why is this the case? Why do pastors lead... Read more
Joy is a central part of Christmas celebrations. So I was sad when I heard Christmas celebrations were cancelled in Bethlehem this year. It is not the saddest I have ever been. But then again, it is impossible for me to imagine the threat under which some Christians live. I cannot imagine being forced out of my ancestral home, losing my culture and community, and threatened with death because I exist. How can people in such circumstances find joy? Is... Read more
We are familiar with the phenomenon of weeping statues of Mary. I once heard the reactionary Mother Angelica claim Mary weeps for our sins. She was replying to a good question from a child who called her show. “If everyone in heaven is happy, why does Mary cry?” The girl asked. It was a good question. The answer was not too bad. It all depends on what the reverend Mother called sin. She included herself. So, I guess that is... Read more
The prophet Elijah was instructed to find Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, and anoint him as a prophet who will one day take his place. When he finds Elisha, he is plowing a field with eleven hired hands. They are each behind a plow pulled by an ox. Elijah passes by him and throws his mantle onto Elisha. The prophet is calling him away from his family and wealth into a life of prophecy. Elisha slaughters his oxen,... Read more
We do not always get it wrong. It just appears that way too many times. And to hear some people talk, we are tempted to believe it. Yet, it is not true. Reflecting on the gospel text for last Sunday (Matthew 25:31-46), I considered all the missed opportunities for serving the least of these. Then I considered the highlight reel (in my own mind) of my years in ministry when we got it right. While I am inclined to dwell... Read more
Two years ago, I made a post called gift and gratitude. It is primarily about gifts. I want to speak more about being thankful today. Gratitude in God’s Country I met Rick Clark, an Indiana farmer who appears in the film Common Ground. It was not a long conversation. “Thanks for coming to God’s Country to speak to us,” I said. His reply surprised me, “Don’t ever leave it.” He saw what many visitors to our area see. In a... Read more
The Downloaded by Robert J. Sawyer is some light sci-fi that asks the question, “Where is consciousness? What qualifies a piece as science fiction is the story is driven by a scientific or technological problem. The story answers the question that mind and brain are dual. The brain is subject to Newtonian physics whereas the mind is constantly moving on the quantum level. If the mind stops moving, it dissipates. The bodies of the characters are in suspended animation while... Read more
Charlatans are usually a minor problem for churches. However, if you fall prey to any, they can be a major problem for you. If you are a pastor who must deal with one, it may be best to move on if you lack stamina. There are those people who claim all religious leaders are posers and con-artists. Such generalizations are for the intellectually lazy. Determining whether a person is a charlatan can be difficult. How do you tell the difference... Read more
We are empathetic toward a victim of violence, persecution, or exclusion. This is a general truth. Yet, we see many would-be persecutors play the role of victim when they are not allowed to act badly. Here is why we do not have to play the game with them. Victim of Inclusiveness One scenario played over and over is when people who propagate lies and advocate violent repression against other people accuse progressives of failing at inclusion. The charge of hypocrisy... Read more
A favorite essay of mine is Wendell Berry’s The Gift of Good Land. It is not his best piece of writing. But it renewed for me a way of thinking about our relationship to the land. Or maybe it is more accurate to say my relationship to land. Basic capitalist economics claims the three resources for production are land, labor, and capital. Beyond the mere mention of it, I do not recall anything about the role of land in production. One may as... Read more
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