Good and Gracious God, Yet again, our nation grieves. Yet again, a life has been cut dreadfully short. Yet again, we all rally to our political centers to cry out for our guns, for our rights, for our safety, for rational thought… and… we forget. We forget that someone who should be here with us… is not. We forget that a family, a community, a nation mourns. We forget that our decisions impact lives and that impact has a ripple... Read more
Do not say that it is naïve to think we can love everyone, even our enemies. It is not naïve; it is Christian. Do not say that it is politically naïve to be forgiving of those who hurt you. It is not naïve; it is Christian. Do not say that it is naïve to ensure everyone’s basic needs are met, even for the least of these. It is not naïve; it is Christian. I grow weary of Christians who on... Read more
Editors’ Note: This article is part of the Patheos Public Square on the Future of Progressive Christianity in America. Read other perspectives here, after 5 pm MT, Wednesday.) _____________________ What if the people leaving the Church are the collective voice of God to us, the Church, today? In May of this year, Pew Research released a report confirming what many of us already believed about the exodus from churches and the continued expansion of the Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR). We’ve never seen an exodus of... Read more
In a historical ruling today, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of marriage equality. It is now the law of the land for all 50 states. In a related story, God painted a double rainbow over the White House shortly after the ruling was handed down. Check out the timestamp at the bottom. I’m commemorating this historic day and supporting my writing with #lovewins T-shirts! Pick one up while they last! UPDATE:... Read more
Let’s get something straight, right off the top: sex is good – really good. As I’ve written before, we Christians have a lot of sexual hang-ups, and I believe it’s time for a Christian “sexual reboot.” The Church has taught us to be more than a bit prudish about our sexuality, so we tend to beat around the bush (pardon the innuendo) when it comes to talking about sex. But, with regard to a Christian sexual reboot, instead of talking... Read more
Good and gracious God, Humanity’s inhumanity to one another is an all too present historical reality. What is it about our humanity that allows us to get so caught up in the differences in our outward appearances and practices that we bracket out the glaring actuality that we are more alike on the inside than any outward differences should ever be capable of overcoming? Hate is so consuming. It consumes our thoughts. It consumes our hearts. It consumes our emotions.... Read more
In the midst of the overblown coverage and social media spats over Bruce Jenner becoming Caitlyn Jenner, a particularly cruel meme has emerged. The notable thing about this meme is that it isn’t a conservative slam of Caitlyn and the LGBTQ community. It’s a “liberal” slam of conservative commentator, Ann Coulter. Not a slam of her less than balanced reporting. Not a slam of her frequently mean spirited commentary. Not a slam of her less than rational political outlook. Not... Read more
Dear John and Jane Public, Honestly, don’t fret over it. I get it. Dear God, I get it. You’ve found a new god. Truthfully, I’ve seen this coming for awhile. I tried to deny it. I even tried to change it. (I have to admit, even in all my divine wisdom, I just did not see the whole MLK, contemporary prophet thing not working. But humans, YOU try to figure them out). You know, there was a brief time just after... Read more
For a very long time, I’ve been a closeted disliker of Memorial Day. The glorification of war that tends to go long with it, makes me sick to my bones. There are a myriad of us that feel this way, but we seldom feel like we can express it because our patriotism is always questioned. So, you may not realize we are out here. Today, however, I’m flipping the script. Today, I’m coming out as a anti-war monger who will... Read more
In honor of my wife’s 13th anniversary of ordination, I thought I’d share my favorite Pentecost sermon. It’s about being an advocate, something that Jeanette does so incredibly well. A quick note: this was written to be heard, not necessarily read. Based on John 14:15-21. In today scripture reading, Jesus tells us a few things. In preparing this message, I became particularly interested in three things Jesus says: 1) “I will not leave you.” 2) “I will send you an... Read more
The God Article with Mark Sandlin
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