This Friday at 11 am Central, I will interview theologian and social activist, the Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood. We’ll discuss Jeff’s book The Execution of God: Encountering the Death Penalty. Join us live on the RavenCast with comments and questions by clicking here a few minutes before the discussion begins. Jeff has written 16 books and has appeared on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, and many other news outlets. He writes for the Patheos blog Engaging Radical... Read more
I sat down with Niki Wadinger during the Colloquium on Violence and Religion to discuss the upcoming eight volume book series on the work of Raymund Schwager. Niki is a professor at the University of Innsbruck, where Schwager also taught. Niki and I discussed the contents of the eight volumes, which include Schwager’s published materials, and some materials that have yet to be published, including Schwager’s work on the Holy Spirit. We also discussed the friendship and long correspondence between... Read more
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 meaningful and refreshing to the modern world. Each week, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight his sermons as examples of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, Tom explains how Jesus transforms our understanding of God. The disciples... Read more
The title question is not rhetorical, and I don’t have an easy answer. I am struggling with Jesus’s call to love both the “enemy” and the vulnerable at a time when the violent undercurrents that propel the United States on her reckless, destructive course are bubbling to the surface and erupting in conflict. I know that love is the only power that can transform hate. Yet, while the command to love neighbor and enemy alike is clear and the imperative... Read more
Thomas Merton was a young man during World War II. He was drafted by the military, but even as a young man, Merton didn’t want to kill in war. At this stage in his life, Merton thought WWII was a just war, so he applied for the status of “non-combatant objector.” This would allow him to serve in the medical corps, carry stretchers, or work in a hospital. He would do any of those things, he wrote, “so long as... Read more
I have a conservative family member whom I love. We frequently discuss politics and religion. Over the years, his church has become more liberal than he is comfortable with, as some in his congregation believe we are at a “Bonhoeffer moment” in the United States because Trump has encouraged racism and white supremacy. “If they act on this ‘Bonhoeffer moment,’” he said, “then they better be right.” Are we at a Bonhoeffer moment? Donald Trump pardoned ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio last... Read more
Pastors have a frequent question when they begin to discover mimetic theory. “That’s great. But how does it preach?” Reverends Tom and Laura Truby show that mimetic theory is a powerful tool that enables pastors to preach the Gospel in a way that is meaningful and refreshing to the modern world. Each week, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight their sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, mimetic theory explains how the gods were created... Read more
The RavenCast interview series challenge “us vs. them” thinking with new perspectives on the issues that divide us. You can watch or listen to the recordings at your convenience. In this episode of the RavenCast, I talk with Cesáreo Bandera at the Colloquium on Violence and Religion* about his friendship with René Girard. While Cesáreo and René maintained a friendship that lasted decades, they also held strong disagreements concerning mimetic theory. Below the video are some topics we discussed. Video MP3 Was... Read more
President Trump delivered a speech on Monday night that broadly unveiled his Afghan war strategy. The war has lasted almost 16 years, the longest war in U.S. history. In his speech, Trump stated that, “We cannot remain a force for peace in the world if we are not at peace with each other.” This statement caught my attention because it’s partly true, but its partial truth makes it dangerously false. As my colleague at the Raven Foundation Lindsey Paris-Lopez recently... Read more
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 meaningful and refreshing to the modern world. Each week, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight his sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. What is truth? Everyone says we live in a post-truth world, but how... Read more
Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In