THE FOURTH OF JULY AND TURNING TO THE BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE “I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will... Read more
Prophetic Patriotism The United States is always a nation in the making. It is a nation of aspiration, and sometimes desperation at how far we have fallen from our values. The founding parents spoke of “all men created equal” and endowed with certain rights – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – but their circle of rights did not include enslaved and indigenous peoples and women. Still, a nation in the making, many of us seek the more perfect... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary -The Fourth Sunday in Pentecost – July 6, 2025 2 Kings 5:1-14 Psalm 30 Galatians 6:7-16 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Every lectionary commentary has a context: in 2022 I published an Adventurous Lectionary commentary in the wake of the Supreme Court’s striking down Roe v. Wade. This year, I write in the aftermath of the US bombing of nuclear sites in Iran, and the chaos created by presidential boasting and prevarication. In both cases, the future is uncertain,... Read more
“Beauty is Resistance: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty” (Sermon preached at Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, Bethesda, MD – June 22, 2025) Psalm 148; Matthew 6:25-29 The story is told of Moses encountering a burning bush out of which God speaks to him on his way to work tending his father in law’s sheep. In the spirit of rabbinical Bible study, a group of rabbis pondered the question, “Why was the bush burning but not consumed?” They... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Third Sunday of Pentecost – June 29, 2025 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62 During the Pentecost season, mysticism inspires mission and spirituality leads to service. God is alive, speaks to us, shapes our experiences, and invites us to join in unity with all creation. Pentecostal spirit can enliven us at any moment. Even when God appears absent, we can call out to God, knowing beneath the shadows, there... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Second Sunday after Pentecost – June 22, 2025 (Proper 7) I Kings 19:1-15a Psalm 22:19-28 Galatians 3:23-29 Luke 8:26-39 The great religious traditions began with mystical experiences, and are sustained through an ongoing commitment to spiritual practices. In the biblical tradition, persons encounter God and then are given a mission. Encounters with God challenge us to action. Mysticism inspires mission, and confrontation with injustice. The Old Testament/Hebraic and Gospel readings introduce us to the paranormal.... Read more
A Teenage Symphony to God – A Homage to Brian Wilson When I heard that Brian Wilson had died, it rocked by soul. Brian had been a spiritual companion to me for nearly sixty years. He was the musician of my life, who spoke to my spirit in the same way that the hymns of my childhood still speak to me. Whether it was a surf song, a hymn to youthful angst, the melodies of “Pet Sounds” and “Good Vibrations,”... Read more
The story is told of an encounter involving the North African Desert Fathers, Abba Lot and Abba Joseph. Seeking Abba Joseph’s wisdom, Abba Lot confided in the North African sage, “As far as I’m able I follow my daily office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace as far as I can, and I purify my thoughts.” The old man paused, stood up, and stretched his hands toward the heavens. Fire burst forth from his... Read more
What’s So Holy About the Trinity? – Trinity Sunday – June 15, 2025 Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 Celebrating the glories of God’s presence in the world continue on Trinity Sunday. Although the Trinity is much neglected in progressive churches, its theological resurrection is essential for a holistic theological, spiritual, and political vision in our time. Following the radical amazement inspired by Pentecost Sunday, we move from the Descent of the Spirit, and the transformation of... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – Pentecost Sunday – June 8, 2025 Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Romans 8:14-17 John 14:8-17 (25-27) Pentecost is a day of celebration. A day to awaken to God’s mystic presence. To sing, dance, speak in different languages, and claim God’s unitive spirit. A day that transcends division and binary thinking. A day that affirms E Pluribus Unum, from many one, and challenges us to embrace the Spirit’s unity in a world of diversity, honoring both unity... Read more
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