God of creation, who brought us and our world into existence, please continue to create; and give us the eyes to see the beauty of this creation as well as the one yet to come. Read more
God of creation, who brought us and our world into existence, please continue to create; and give us the eyes to see the beauty of this creation as well as the one yet to come. Read more
Short prayers! Really? Yes, prayers should be short. At least this is what Jesus says. When introducing what has become known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus remarks NRS Matthew 6:7 “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Empty phrases packaged in many... Read more
The Public Theology of Katie Day Patheos PT 5003 Meet Katie Day. “Public theology is both a matter of reflection and action,” she declares. Prayer + Action = Progressive Christianity. “Prayer, as Rabbi Abraham Heschel and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr advocated, is that which we do on our knees and on our feet. I believe the Church and interfaith community is continually called into difficult conversations and sustained work for justice and peace despite formidable challenges.” The Rev. Dr.... Read more
I've been sonar sounding sin's depths for some decades now. Yes, there's a level of intractable mystery connected with sin. Yet, it is worth a sustained pursuit to understand sin and grace theologically. This post is the sixth in the series: (1) Sin 1: Sin? Really? (2) Sin 2: Sin as Self-Justification; (3) Sin 3: the Visible Scapegoat: (4) Sin 4: the Invisible Scapegoat; (5) Sin 5: Sin Boldly! and now (6) Sin 6: Sin and Grace. Read more
The Public Theology of Noreen Herzfeld Patheos PT 5011 Public Theology? What is it? Meet Noreen Herzfeld. An upright Quaker with Lutheran leanings, Dr. Herzfeld’s investments in theological reflection enrich both the church and the surrounding culture. Let’s ask her what she thinks about public theology. Let’s ask her specifically: how should we steer the public theologian’s skiff in the wake of AI’s battle cruiser? Like so many other Quakers, Noreen has set sail on the cartel of nonviolence. Ports?... Read more
What is a progressive Christian? A progressive Christian confers dignity on all those who have been denied dignity. Actually, this is the mission of all Christians, not only the progressive ones. Actually, this is the mission of all citizens. By giving attention to the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the tax collectors, Jesus conferred dignity on each one. Whereas these marginalized had experienced lack of respect if not humiliation, Jesus conferred God’s worth on each person. Christmas means that... Read more
Who belongs in the manger? Who belongs on the cross? Jesus? Or, a Jesus-substitute? Does a Jesus-Substitute commit blasphemy? Christian iconography and art collapses the historical Jesus into the artist’s context. Hermeneutically, this is the principle of application or applicatio. The saving work of Jesus Christ is pro me, for me, Martin Luther emphasized (Stjerna). Because nobody took a video or photograph of the historical Jesus, every artistic depiction includes a constructive interpretation by the artist. The critical postmodern interpreter... Read more
When in a dilemma in which no purely right decision can be made, sin boldly and take action. Read more
Is justice a serial killer? Or, with perhaps a tad more nuance: is justice just a chain of serial violence? Or, with still more nuance: when we pursue social justice do we risk scapegoating and, thereby, perpetuate the chain of violence unendingly? The public theologian, armed with the doctrine of original sin, engages in discourse clarification as a means of shedding light on dark moments of history. The chain of events leading to the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse and its... Read more
Is that Christmas present with your name on it really a gift? When the New Testament tells us that we are saved by God’s grace, is salvation really a gift? Were the Protestant Reformers wrong when they touted, sola gratia (by grace alone)? Do all gifts of grace require reciprocity? Reformation evangelicals insist that God is gracious and that we fallen and sinful creatures benefit from God’s gifts of grace such as creation and redemption. Yet, some philosophers—some theologians too--claim... Read more
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