Imagine asking someone to go about a regular summer day, not changing routine, keeping up energy, and being cheerful, for about 16 to 19 hours, with no food or drink of any kind. Many people, including me, might think it almost impossible. Yet around the world, millions of Muslims are in the midst of doing just that. For 30 consecutive days. Mashallah. (Wow!) It really is amazing to contemplate the sheer length of time Muslims will commit not only to denying... 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 Wednesday, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight his sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, Tom continues his series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians.... Read more
Muhammad Ali was a giant. A legend whose persona was larger than life. He is known for being the G.O.A.T. If you’re a boxing fan (which I’m not), you know that G.O.A.T. refers to Ali being the “Greatest of All Time.” Part of Ali’s greatness was his unabashed self-confidence. He frequently boasted, “I am the greatest!” His verbal punches were as powerful, and as entertaining, as the punches he threw in the ring. But if you’re a mimetic theory fan... Read more
Harambe was his name. Last Friday, he celebrated his 17th birthday. He was killed the next day, shot dead by the people who were supposed to protect him. Harambe was the gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. He was killed because a three-year-old boy managed to climb under a fence, through wires, around bushes, and fall 15 feet into Harambe’s enclosure. I don’t know how a gorilla is supposed to act – not being a gorilla myself –... Read more
Is Peter Thiel scapegoating Gawker? I’m sure you’ve followed the news – celebrity billionaire Peter Thiel bankrolls Hulk Hogan’s celebrity lawsuit against celebrity news site Gawker for posting a sex tape of Hogan in bed with his friend’s wife. Well, ex-friend, because, you know, that’s how that goes… What a juicy scandal! Denials, justifications and accusations are flying like broken glass at a car crash and naturally it’s hard to look away. Recently the writer, social commentator and contributing editor... 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 Wednesday, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight his sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, Tom explores Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Paul preached to... Read more
“We must change our mindset about war itself.” Throughout the entire Obama presidency, none of his words have resonated so deeply with me as these, folded into his speech at Hiroshima last week. Their truth goes to the very core of our deepest needs as a people: to imagine solutions to our conflicts beyond blame and fear and to see within our enemies fellow human beings – friends waiting to be reconciled. Indeed, we must change our minds, we must... Read more
Does the hostile political divide leave you feeling hopeless? I often feel that way, but last week a high school in a suburb of Portland, Oregon gave me some hope. It’s a story that involves many of the things our culture faces: racism and violence, but also repentance. I was especially interested in the story because it’s from the town where I grew up – Forest Grove, Oregon. I loved growing up in Forest Grove. As I moved throughout the... Read more
In this episode of the RavenCast, I talk with the Rev. Amber Churchill, ordained pastor in the Disciples of Christ. I met Amber during a chaplaincy training program called Clinical Pastoral Education. Amber identifies as gender queer and has done more than anyone to teach me about the importance of understanding gender. If you are already familiar with mimetic theory, you will find deep resonances in the conversation with the theory – especially when it comes to the human tendency... Read more
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 Wednesday, Teaching Nonviolent Atonement will highlight his sermons as an example of preaching the Gospel through mimetic theory. In this sermon, Tom explores the Trinity as a model for human relationships. Tom writes about the relationships within the Trinity and three women in the civil rights movement, “Now, to... Read more
Teaching Nonviolent Atonement
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