ashes to ashes dust to dust the beginning of when ashes to ashes dust to dust the incarnation of what ashes to ashes dust to dust the end of where ashes to ashes dust to dust the repeat of who ashes to ashes dust to dust the beginning of when-the incarnation of what-the end of where- the repeat of who the repeat of who-the end of where-the incarnation of what-the beginning of when the why is the magic, the... Read more
The church of my youth had a bad habit of mixing political candidates with spirituality. I am a child of the culture wars. I remember one Sunday morning our pastor gave a sermon entitled, “Jesus for President.” The pastor told us that he would not tell us who to vote for and then proceeded to explain how the Republican candidate was more like Jesus than the Democratic candidate. I remember leaving the church and hearing a family say they... Read more
The ice pellets hit my head as I negotiated the icy sidewalk. I heard a bunch of rustling to my right and looked up. Ten men walked past me carrying large guns. The flags and signs the men carried read, “Come and take it” or “Don’t tread on me.” I wondered who these folks thought were oppressing or treading on them…I mean they are the ones walking around with the guns. Right? I found the spectacle to be... Read more
Forgiveness is not something I am good at…but I know it is something that I need to do. This is a short talk based around an experience…the experience was and is mine…but the discussion topic of forgiveness is for all of us. I began my ministry in a very small town in Alabama. I served as a youth minister for both the First United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church. In small towns they can create such ecumenical... Read more
Over the past few weeks, my mind has never been far from death. Last Friday, I delivered a letter from local clergy condemning Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins’ consistent pursuit of death sentences and then walked from Dallas to Fort Worth in protest and prayer. Last Saturday, I stood before the hundreds of persons gathered in Fort Worth for the annual conference of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty to remark in part, “the politicians all... Read more
“My question is for District Attorney Watkins. My name is Jeff Hood. I am a Baptist minister and I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. I am particularly troubled by the case of our panelist Christopher Scott who was wrongfully convicted of capital murder and served twelve years for a crime he did not commit before he was exonerated. What if Dallas County had pursued the death penalty in Scott’s... Read more
This afternoon U.S. Federal Judge Orlando Garcia ruled that Texas’ prohibition of gay marriage is unconstitutional. That is the judgment…but there are many Christians who will be talking about a different type of judgment in the coming days. I can already hear them in pulpits around the state talking about the coming hell and damnation for homosexuals or perhaps more problematic staying neutral. I have a word from God for all of you. There is a judgment and it is... Read more
Everybody wants to talk about love these days…but no one wants to talk about sacrifice. Everybody wants to talk about the love of Jesus…but nobody wants to talk about how embracing the love of Jesus leads to death. Everyone wants to talk about falling in love…but no one wants to talk about the need to jump off the cliff and sacrifice your self in order to experience it. Love is dangerous. You do not know whether you are going... Read more
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed a bill today that gives a penalty of life in prison for many homosexual sexual acts. Despite the homophobic policies in their own denominations, the reaction from the mainline Christian world has been swift. Some of the mainline folks I have read have consistently spoken very nasty of President Musevini and sometimes bordered on the same hate that he is perpetuating in Uganda. I have also been surprised by the many questions about where... Read more
In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about some sheep and goats…but this is more than a barnyard story. Jesus ultimately declares, “…what you have done to the least of these you have done to me.” In this passage, Jesus places Jesus’ self at the very center of injustice and oppression…and as such takes on such injustice and oppression. Jesus obstructs those who would want to continue committing injustice and oppressing people or would want to simply ignore such acts. Jesus... Read more
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