This was the readign in the BCP hours this morning. I really enjoy this part of the online liturgy of the hours from Mission St. Claire. They include a reading about a saint of the church for almost every morning. Read this article if you get a chance – at least the first couple of paragraphs. There are two things that stuck out to me: First: an analogy from Martin Luther. He that human nature is like a drunkard trying... Read more

A video of one of my favorite bands…this song is how I feel right now. There is something wrong with me…shoulders shrugging off…Picking apples for kings and queens of things I have never seen…cheer up.Cheer up, honey, I hope you canThere is something wrong with meMy mind is filled with silvery starsHoney, kisses, clouds of fogShoulders shrugging offCheer up, honey, I hope you canThere is something wrong with meMy mind is filled with radio curesElectronic surgical wordsPicking apples for kings... Read more

Here is a quick synopsis of a very good book on the subject of atonement and salvation in the Old and New Testaments. Green is an incredible scholar. CHAPTER ONE: Being Human, Being SavedAs his starting point, Green stipulates that although humankind is the preeminent creation, it is important to imbed our Soteriology in the context of the redemption of the entire cosmos. Citing Charles Taylor, he traces his critical assessment of the Modern view of human persons as autonomous... Read more

More and more these days I’ve come to respect and admire the courage it takes to stand in the path of injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. did that. He was killed 40 years ago today. I still can’t believe that these words were spoken the very night before he was killed. Read more

A quick review of a very good book on how to read the Pauline corpus. I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone who actually reads their bible – it will really help you to read it with much more context. It’s a good 9 hour read if you read it carefully. But it’s time well spent! CHAPTER 1In Gorman’s “guide to reading Paul,”[1] he begins by insisting that we must read Paul as scripture speaking “to us and for... Read more

A review of The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. I hardly ever do this. But I’m going to critique one of the “greats” and prove that I’m certainly out of my depth…sorry Nouwen fans, you are going to hate this! I’ll try to find a friend who will give another opinion…stay tuned. Henri Nouwen is to be respected as much as anyone who has ever written on Christian Spirituality. He is wise, learned and eloquent, and he put... Read more

Pascha Nostrum Alleluia.Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us;therefore let us keep the feast, Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil,but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia. Christ being raised from the dead will never die again;death no longer has dominion over him. The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all;but the life he lives, he lives to God. So also consider yourselves dead to sin,and alive to... Read more

I read a fascinating article this week: A New Heaven and a New Earth: The Case for a Holistic Reading of the Biblical Story of Redemption Below is a quick review of some of the high points. It’s so worth taking the time to read it, I think it’s about a 45 minute article. In this short essay, Middleton’s basic thesis is that the eternal destiny of the redeemed (an even who/what should constitute the redeemed in a way) is... Read more

You have simply got to watch this video: The Believer’s Heaven The funniest part is watching the reaction of the crowd, especially the little kids in the audience. I’m guessing these kids have undergone years of therapy. Read more

Missing the Mark by Mark Biddle Missing the Mark by Mark Biddle is a great expansion and critique of the doctrine of sin. I think it’s one of the best volumes on this topic I’ve ever encountered. This is a quick review of the material. Biddle seeks to make a comparison between the biblical view of sin as it has been treated in scripture, both OT and NT and the “traditional” view. (I think Biddle is an OT scholar). The... Read more