I confess that I am feeling very thankful this morning for the Book of Common Prayer, especially for the Morning Office. I am learning how much I rely on the daily readings and prayers. I confess that I’m especially grateful for the audio prayers at www.missionstclare.com. I confess that I think that I think perhaps I will always struggle with my need for approval and achievement. One of the worst ways this comes out in my life is that I... Read more

One of the abiding assertions I hear among Missional Church theologians and practitioners is the idea that the American church is somehow following in the footsteps of the European Church. European Christianity has ebbed and the stats on European church involvement are ugly. The logic is that the North American church will not be far behind. This line of thinking is a popular rationale for the development of a new church paradigm, and is often used by those working in... Read more

That is the best first line of a book I’ve heard in years – especially a book on religion or theology: “When someone tells me that they are ‘Not religious, but very spiritual,’ I want to punch them in the face… hard.” It’s the opening line from the new book, Dispirited: How Contemporary Spirituality Makes Us Stupid, Selfish, and Unhappy, by author and teacher David Webster. The title caught my eye, as did this quick interview with the author at Religion... Read more

I’m working my way through Bethge’s book on Bonhoeffer. I came to a lecture Bonhoeffer gave while he spent a year (between his Phd & post-doctoral work – c.1928), as an assistant to the pastor of a German Lutheran church in Barcelona. It was a lax congregation of Germans working abroad. Bonhoeffer was attempting to inject some passion and deep conversation, so while the pastor was on leave, Bonhoeffer planned as series of lectures. One of those was concerned chiefly... Read more

Today is the recall election for Scott Walker in Wisconsin, and the money is flowing in for the already bloated campaign expenditures. When it is all said and done estimates are that 70-80 million dollars will have been spent on the election – much of it coming from out of state. CNN is reporting that Walker has raised 7½ times what his opponent has spent. They say Wisconsin billionare Diane Hendricks gave Walker more than $500,000, Texas politico Bob Perry... Read more

I confess that I have needed to power wash and stain my deck for at least 2 years now. It’s such a daunting task, so I keep putting it off. I confess that I am more likely to procrastinate in the area of household repairs than anything else I’m responsible for. I confess that I also need to clean out my gutters, mow down by the pond, get the trimmer running & use it, pull a mountain of weeds, paint... Read more

The Washington Post has been running some articles by Lauren Pond, a photojournalist working on a project documenting Pentecostal snake handling practices. She became friends with the pastor Randy “Mack” Wolford who died after being bitten by a rattlesnake during a worship service. The snake-handling Christians believe they are commanded to handle snakes and drink poison, and if bitten or in danger they are forbidden to ask for medical help, but to pray for healing instead. Pond’s recent article asks... Read more

I read a fascinating article by William Grimes in The New York Times this morning about the social impact of the remote control – whose creator, Eugene J. Polley, died May 20 at the age of 96. Saul Bellow once denounced the remote control saying that it “makes mental mincemeat of us.” Ellen Goodman said it was “the most reactionary implement currently used to undermine equality in modern marriage,” pointing to the fact that men tend to dominate control of... Read more

The portrayal of the modern man in media culture continues to baffle me. Most men I know are nothing like what you see on television. Don’t get me wrong, I can laugh at the stereotypes without taking them too seriously. But, watching yet another show portray men as stupid, selfish, lazy, and horny is starting to become tiresome. I am a walking, talking male contradiction – which makes something I like to call “normal.”  For me it works out this way:... Read more

Lately it’s become popular to slam “religion” and say follow Jesus instead. I see it everywhere. Jefferson Bethke’s video “Why I hate religion but love Jesus,” caught that wave, went viral, and in so doing helped to spread what I think is an impossible view of what it means to be a Christian. I get the sentiment, dead religiosity and traditionalism are not good things. But, religiosity and religion are not the same thing. Dissing religion is the way lots... Read more