While It Was Still Dark  In simple words, John gives us an important observation about the morning of the resurrection. “…It was still dark…” As always with John the words operate on two levels. Yes, it was before dawn so it was dark. John, however, was not referring to the limited number of lumens peering over the horizon. The time of day is only a servant to his greater point. The world was dark not because the sun had yet... Read more

Ethics and Human Behavior As someone who studies ethics, I have observed the behavior of some students and professors in the field with some confusion. If ethics is the study of the right way to live, the right thing to do, then why do some in the field do the wrong thing? More specifically, why do some behave in ways that contradict the field they are studying or teaching? Why do some ethics teachers breach ethics?   Ethics Professors and... Read more

The Bible There is a new addition to my office, a brown leather copy of Holy Scripture. I ordered it when I was at a denominational meeting this summer. Not often do I find my favorite translation in a comfortable size, so when I found this one I was excited. The two gold ribbons for page markers are tucked in Genesis and Isaiah, where my reading is right now. I do not need a ribbon for the Psalms, as I... Read more

What I have most wanted to do is make religious writing an art    New Atheism Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and other writers are part of an intellectual movement known as “New Atheism.” While there have always been atheists, New Atheism is a militant version of the ideology. In the past, atheists have been content with mere disbelief. New Atheism, however, argues it is important to protest against religion, ridicule it, and convert people from religion. It has a zeal,... Read more

Addictions Among Us In my pastoral role, I have become convinced that most families have a member who faces an addiction of some kind. According to a recent survey, 46% of all Americans have a friend or family member with a substance abuse problem. If one were to calculate the number of people who have behavioral addictions, the percentage would undoubtedly be much higher. No segment of society is immune. Recent comments by professional golfer Rory McIlroy about Phil Mickelson’s... Read more

I’m Not Good at Waiting I confess it, I’m not good at waiting. Long lines in a checkout center annoy me. If I am stuck in one, my eyelids will twitch and my nostrils will flare in an accelerating rhythm. I will have to fight the desire to put down my merchandise and flee. Put me in a long line of traffic and I will curse the invention of the automobile itself. If I have placed an Amazon or eBay... Read more