Part 3 of series: What is a Church? Where Do People Get Their Ideas of Church? Part 1 People today have a wide variety of ideas about what a church should be. If you ask a dozen people you’d probably get a dozen different answers. One of my favorite answers to the “What is a church?” question came during a children’s sermon preached by a young seminarian. This story was related to me by someone who was in the congregation... Read more
Part 2 of series: What is a Church? Why Write This Series on “What is a Church?”? This is the second post in a series I’m calling: What is a Church? Biblical Basics for Christian Community. Yesterday, I explained that I’m planning to answer this question from a biblical point of view, though without denying the value of church tradition and Christian experience. I believe that, in the end, however, Scripture is the most authoritative guide for matters of faith... Read more
The brain is getting plenty of attention these days. Based on scientific study of the brain, all sorts of people are weighing in on how the brain thinks and the implications for individuals, relationships, and culture. If you’re not a specialist, and if you don’t have time to read extensively in the “brain” literature, it’s hard to keep up. A recent book review the New York Times makes this a little easier. Christopher Chabris, a psychology professor at Union College,... Read more
Part 1 of series: What is a Church? What is a Church? Biblical Basics for Christian Community “What is a church?” Now that seems like a easy question, the sort of question one might answer in an simple sentence or two. “A church is a building in which Christians meet for worship,” is one obvious possibility. “A church is a group of Christians who gather for religious purposes” is another. A critic might says, “A church is a club for... Read more
An Invitation to Hang in There with God Psalm 88:1-18 O LORD, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. Psalm 88:13 Chances are you won’t hear this psalm in church today. (If you do, let me know!) Psalm 88 is one of those —psalms and, indeed, there are —many that leave us perplexed. It is one long lament, with little by way of hope. Thus, this psalm tends to be ignored, except in churches... Read more
As a man, I have always wondered why women take so long in women’s restrooms. What mystery lurks inside that captures their attention? Now I know. While in a New York subway recently, I saw inside of a women’s restroom. It’s filled with treasures and distractions. Men’s restrooms are much more spartan. At any rate, the mystery is solved. Read more
In yesterday’s post, I commended Freud’s Last Session, a play running in New York just off Broadway. This play, as I explained, is based on the work of Harvard psychiatrist, Dr. Armand Nicholi, Jr., especially his book entitled The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life. I mentioned that my relationship with Dr. Nicholi is a bit ironic. Here’s the story. In my junior year at Harvard (1977-78), I was... Read more
No, I’m not referring to Broadway hits like Billy Elliot, The Book of Mormon, or Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Rather, I’m speaking of a just-off-Broadway masterpiece, Freud’s Last Session. This superb play ought not to be missed. Warning: There is no sex in Freud’s Last Session, though it gets ample attention in the dialogue, as you might imagine. (And Dr. Ruth was in the audience when I saw the play. No joke!) No songs are sung, though a radio... Read more
So, you’re in New York City on a warm fall day and you don’t know what to do? I’d recommend a visit to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The park has been completely redone in the last few years and is delightful to the eyes. The people watching is unsurpassed. And you’ll be able to hear some amazing music for free. Here are a couple of examples: Question: How did that guy get his piano into Washington Square Park? Read more
Mark D. Roberts
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Envy, Death, and Toilets
What do envy, death, and toilets have in common? They have all been featured in recent articles in the New York Times. I found each of these to be fascinating, so I’m recommending them to you. “Envy May Bear Fruit, But It Also Has an Aftertaste” John Tierney examines recent studies on envy. His main point: Philosophers have offered theories, but empirical evidence has been in short supply, maybe because envy is such an uncomfortable topic for everyone, including psychologists.... Read more