You see them lurking in the hallways of church after church. In the same tired old faded colors, it is hard to miss the blond hair, blue eyes and white skin. I have even seen them in hospitals. Growing up, I was terrified of one representation that stared ominously at the viewer. The old white Jesus paintings hang in space after space as a sign that white Christians remain in power. Southerners are particularly afflicted by this phenomenon. There are... Read more
Stepping through the green wet grass, I picked up egg after egg. Stuffing the brightly colored pieces of plastic into the trash, I was reminded of how quickly we trash what we deem useless. I started to think about the message of Jesus. In the midst of my prayers concerning reimagining leftover resurrection trash, one name kept coming to mind…Judas. Though the gospel writers totally destroy Judas, Jesus still seems to love him very much. After he made the... Read more
*Easter Message Delivered in Denton, Texas Let’s begin with the excluded God. What does it mean for God to be left out? My mind immediately conjures up a situation at the church I attend, the Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ. Our church was founded to be the ultimate space of inclusion for LGBT people and those that love them. Presently, the church’s idea of liberation is based around your ability to fit within certain identities. This is... Read more
Throughout my ministry, I have heard awful stories of pain, abuse and suffering. Though the stories are many and varied, there is one that sticks out above all others. During a time of group counseling around spiritual abuse, an older gentleman revealed that his youth group pinned him down and probed his ass with a crucifix to show him how painful being gay was. When I ponder this story and the countless horror stories from the church, I am left... Read more
I don’t really like going to church. There are some ministers who love the mystery and majesty of it all no matter what. Not me. I am so tired of the modern presentation of Jesus that I have mentally and spiritually dropped out. Week after week, church leaders use their pulpits to demand more money and more people. One would think that the Gospel of Jesus was, “Go ye unto all the world and be as cheesy as possible while... Read more
The people of Jerusalem waved their palms madly to celebrate the entry of Jesus into their town. Less than seven days later, Jesus was tortured and executed in the same place. Though Palm Sunday is a time to celebrate, I can never get past the fact that the same palm wavers either participated in or did nothing to stop the execution of Jesus. The lesson of the juxtaposition should be one of caution. Emily and I don’t have... Read more
*These reflections are taken from pieces of the last words of the last 40 persons executed in Texas. Manuel Vasquez- “Thank you Lord for your mercy and unconditional love.” Who can describe love greater than any love imaginable? Who can comprehend love that is without end? Manuel Vasquez knew that the mercy and love of God never failed or ceased. Do you know? I invite you to pray the last words of Manuel Vasquez : “Thank you Lord for your... Read more
*These reflections are taken from pieces of the last words of the last 40 persons executed in Texas. Donald Newbury- “That each new indignity defeats only the body.” Donald Newbury knew that the indignity of execution could only defeat the body. For Newbury, the soul is always free for those who allow it to be. No matter the indignity of your circumstance, have you unchained your soul? I invite you to pray the last words of Donald Newbury: “That each... Read more
*I originally wrote this piece for the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Forest, Jim. Loving Our Enemies: Reflections on the Hardest Commandment. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2014. Lucifer got jealous of the boss. Haven’t we all made this kind of mistake before? God kicked his ass out of heaven and never let him come back. Ever since Lucifer got banished, he has been raging all over the earth. Every time God tries to get something good going, Lucifer tries to... Read more
*These reflections are taken from pieces of the last words of the last 40 persons executed in Texas. Robert Ladd- “Let’s ride.” We stop. We are afraid. We don’t want to move an inch. Danger is a paralyzing force. In the face of certain death, Robert Ladd looked danger in the eye and shrugged. If we place our trust in God, we too can have such confidence. Staring down whatever danger you face, I invite you to pray the... Read more
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