Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
White supremacy is on the rise. What should we do about it? Listen to Adam Ericksen and former skinhead leader Christian Picciolini discuss in the latest episode of the RavenCast! Read more
White supremacy is on the rise. What should we do about it? Listen to Adam Ericksen and former skinhead leader Christian Picciolini discuss in the latest episode of the RavenCast! Read more
The spiritual life isn't always easy. But like Patrick, if we keep our eyes on God, we begin to realize that there’s something bigger than our circumstances. Read more
To the students who walked out of class Wednesday, for your love, for your courage, for your compassion, for your perseverance, for the hope that you embody, thank you. Thank you for raising your voices in defense of yourself, your classmates, and future generations against violence and greed. Thank you for your exercising your right to speak up and speak out. Thank you for the risks you have taken to wake up and shake up our society, to snatch us out... Read more
Can a scientific theory lead us to God? Join Adam Ericksen as he explores a surprising answer. Read more
If we think of the poisonous serpents as humans in rivalry leading to violence and the disintegration of culture, Moses asks them to change their focus by looking at the bronze serpent instead of each other. -Rev. Tom Truby Pastors have a frequent question when they begin to discover mimetic theory. “That’s great. But how does it preach?” Reverend Tom Truby shows that mimetic theory is a powerful tool that enables pastors to preach the Gospel in a way that is... Read more
We were sitting in a circle, children and teachers, listening to the storyteller before breaking into Sunday school classes. I was teaching, as I do once a month, and sitting beside my daughter, whom I had the privilege to teach that day. The storyteller was retelling the parable of the careless sower from Matthew 13. “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on... Read more
The following is an interactive sermon I led at Clackamas United Church of Christ, near Portland, Oregon. The congregation discussed the most famous Bible verse, John 3:16. The video recording of the sermon is below, along with my reflections. They say that familiarity breeds contempt. Maybe the most familiar verse in the Bible is John 3:16. You never see a sign for the verse that says, “Jesus wept” at football stadiums. Progressive Christians have become so familiar with this passage... Read more
Jesus is the new temple. Instead of allowing us to believe God is wrathful and in need of being paid off to placate his wrath (like being shaken down by the Mafia), Jesus undercuts the whole thing by showing us God is not only not wrathful but nonviolent, one who not only loves us when we behave but forgives us when we misbehave. -Rev. Tom Truby Pastors have a frequent question when they begin to discover mimetic theory. “That’s great. But... Read more
Recent developments in the gun control debate make me cautiously hopeful that our nation may be on its way toward curbing and maybe even transforming our violence. But that means there is a special urgency in this moment that we must channel toward understanding, compassion, and repentance. A New Hope First, the hope: The amazing students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School of Parkland, Florida, have made more progress on the issue of sensible gun restrictions in the past... Read more
Violence has always been a problem for humanity. How can Girard's book "Violence and the Sacred" help us understand and deal with violence? Join Suzanne Ross and Adam Ericksen Thursday at 1 CT on Facebook live as they discuss this important book! Read more
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