The only thing I had heard about The Emoji Movie was that it was one of the worst movies of all time. Rotten Tomatoes gave it one star. The professional critics hated it and so did the amateur critics. Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes said, From its cringey premise, there was little hope that The Emoji Movie would be anything but awful. The premonition is correct. Not just bad, but it’s offensively boring, and tedious. One of the worst films of... Read more
Tell all the truth but tell it slant — Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind — Emily Dickinson Anticipating the eclipse, I’m thinking of light and darkness, Truth and its blinding brightness The fragility of the human mind, And seeing through a glass darkly. ... Read more
There have been times when President Trump has said true things, things that I believe need to be said, in service to a larger point that is the complete opposite of the point I wish to make. Tuesday afternoon’s remarks on Charlottesville, in which he doubled-down on his comments that “many sides” are responsible for the violence that occurred this past weekend, contained one of those kernels of truth in service to a lie. Allow me to explain. Last Friday... 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. Mimetic theory teaches that we are highly influenced by the people and culture... Read more
All people are products of our culture. Despite the modern emphasis on claiming our individuality, none of us is strictly an individual. No one stands alone. For better or worse, we are all formed and shaped by our culture, especially our cultural stories. This insight led the anthropologist René Girard to claim that we humans are not individuals. Rather, we are inter-dividuals. There is an ancient Christian tradition that claims Jesus was fully human. This tradition dates to the earliest... Read more
The RavenCast interview series challenge “us vs. them” thinking with new perspectives on the issues that divide us. Hear from knowledgeable guests and join live with your questions and comments. Can’t join live? Watch or listen to the recordings at your convenience. In this episode, the Rev. Adam Ericksen mixes things up with a sermon he preached at Lake Oswego United Church of Christ. Adam became Jeremiah by dressing in an ancient prophetic costume to deliver a message for today. You can... Read more
Forgiveness does not make repentance unnecessary. It makes repentance possible. I have come to believe in the power of forgiveness to affect positive, holy transformation. But what about when it doesn’t? What happens when forgiveness does not break open hearts and lead to repentance? What happens when forgiveness gives an aura of relief and safety to those perpetrating aggressions but doesn’t ease the burden of those who have been wronged? What happens when forgiveness is folded into a ritual of... Read more
The United States is exhibiting all the symptoms of a nation in a death spiral. We see the evidence everywhere, but the crisis extends beyond the U.S. I don’t agree with Donald Trump very often, but he’s right about one thing. At the beginning of his European trip, he said in Poland, “The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive.” President Trump rightly understands that we are at a crisis moment, but he... 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. Mimetic theory teaches that our lives are run by the “Other.” The other... Read more
The Donald Trump presidency provides a daily scandal of tweets. The latest scandal that offends our moral compass has Trump in a Twitter war with Mika Brzezinski, the co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Once again, the scandal has to do with Trump, women, and blood. It all started when Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough mocked the president during a segment about the GOP health care plan. They stated that the plan “takes money away from the poorest of the poor” and... Read more
Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
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