It’s been over a week since this astonishing contrast of maps made the rounds on social media. It shows more than any other illustration that the political divide in our country is primarily a racial one. Throughout this election season, I’ve been in disbelief that the majority of white people in this country are supporting a man who has made openly fascist postures. But whenever people try to compare the US today to 1930’s Germany, I instinctively roll my eyes and... Read more
I’m pretty good at being a pastor. It’s my favorite thing to do. When I’ve reached the point in my relationship with someone where we can be absolutely real with each other, it seems to work. Not because I have any particular people skills, but because God somehow makes rich and beautiful conversation happen regardless of where the other person is with their spirituality. Being a pastor is fun and rewarding and life-giving. But what I hate more than anything... Read more
I’ve found myself at a loss for words lately. I’m so fatigued by this presidential election. I’m very conflicted about what I’m supposed to say and what I’m supposed to share online. I’m trying to listen to the still, small voice, but usually the arrogant self-righteous voice wins most of the arguments in my brain. Four years ago, I was very vocal about promoting Election Day Communion as a means of transcending our partisan differences to be one body of Christ... Read more
I’ve been offered an amazing opportunity by the Tulane Hillel rabbi Yonah Schiller to talk about Christian spirituality with his freshman seminar class. I’m writing this blog post in order to attempt a fresh, accessible articulation of Christian spirituality. I should begin with a disclaimer that this will be a more progressive, mystical account of Christianity than what you’re used to hearing from American Christians. But I believe that mainstream Christianity in our country has been corrupted by a number of... Read more
[Note: A previous version of this post had a featured photo with an image that was triggering. Please accept my apology for my lack of sensitivity.] What if God is the one who hijacked our presidential election in order to defeat his people so catastrophically that they would start acting like Christians again? What would happen if the Supreme Court were completely out of reach for those who have pinned all their hopes for the last four decades on overturning... Read more
They’re both United Methodist: Dubya and Hillary, two of the most hated politicians in America. I love this photo. It almost makes me weep to see how relaxed and genuine both of them were in that moment. What if neither of them are as diabolical as they’ve been made out to be? What if they both go to your church? Actually, that’s not even a question. They do both go to your church. Dubya is the chair of your United... Read more
Ever since Donald Trump was caught saying the P-word, conservative evangelical leaders have been feverishly trying to distance themselves from him. It’s been particularly interesting to see blog posts by religious right leaders declaring the demise of the religious right as though they were never a part of it. Nobody wants to be labeled religious right just like nobody wants to be called a fundamentalist. It’s true that the religious right is not a theological monolith. It includes Pentecostals, Baptists, Calvinists, Catholics,... Read more
Time just ran an article about InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s witch-hunt against LGBTQ-affirming staff-people. Not staff-people who are gay. Not staff-people who perform weddings for gay people. But staff-people who simply disagree with InterVarsity’s official anti-gay stance. They can be Calvinist or Arminian. They can believe in baptizing babies or believers. They can believe that communion is the real sacramental presence of Jesus or a symbolic ordinance to remember his sacrifice. But the non-negotiable cornerstone of InterVarsity’s theology is now their... Read more
You have to learn how to be thirsty. And until you’re thirsty, you cannot really have a spiritual life. This is the lesson that I don’t know how to teach. I only know that the reason I have tasted heaven is because I was desperately thirsty for it. And I’m surrounded by college students who aren’t thirsty at all. Because everybody drinks. I’m speaking partly in metaphor and partly not. No, not every Tulane and Loyola student drinks alcohol. But... Read more
Rob Bell is on our podcast this week. I didn’t get to participate because my laptop is a piece of ____. But Teer Hardy did a great job interviewing him. I wanted to share my favorite quotes from the interview. The problem for many spiritual leaders is they’re just transmitting information: e.g. “let me tell you something about what Luke means in chapter 12.” But this person who’s telling you this hasn’t actually lived with it long enough for it... Read more
Mercy Not Sacrifice
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