There’s always talk about the number of condoms handed out at the Olympic Village — I suppose in an effort to forestall the rise of a race of super-humans. Well, there are also a couple hundred chaplains, and one can only assume that they’re not an aphrodisiac. But seriously, folks, when that mass of humanity is assembled, there must be some fascinating conversations about spirituality. A 600-foot footrace was the only athletic event at the first Olympics, a festival held in... Read more
I’ve never thought so. I’ve always thought it an incredibly incisive satire of church and especially of theological education. In this BBC video from 1979, John Cleese and Michael Palin go nose-to-nose with some clerics, defending the movie. Decide for yourself, but I think that the guy in the pink robe with the huge pectoral cross might be doing even more to make Jesus look silly than the film. And don’t skip the end, in which John Cleese talks about... Read more
The readers of this blog have been extremely helpful as I’ve worked through issues around prayer, in preparation for my next book, Why Pray? Thanks to those of you who answered Do You Pray? and for those who told me about a time when God Answered Your Prayer. (Those are still open, if you’d care to contribute.) Now, I’m interested in hearing When God Did Not Answer Your Prayer? And also, what you did with God’s non-response? That is, how... Read more
Jonathan Harrison of the blog, On Pop Theology, has a clever post about the song that my daughter can’t stop singing: On November 21, 1985, in the quiet town of Mission, the Norse demi-goddess known only to humanity as Carley Rae Jepson manifested herself on the bucolic plains of British Columbia. Raised by a pack of she-wolves, and rumored to have emanated from the forehead of her sire Billy Rae (sic) Cyrus (Norse God of the Mullet), Jepson soon set... Read more
Part of an ongoing series on Everyday Spirituality. He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ I’ve become a fan — and something of a student — of yeast. It’s an amazing thing, a living organism, that gives rise to fermentation in bread and beer. Yeast gets a bit of a bad rap in the Bible. It takes too long... Read more
A while back, I asked whether Zondervan had jumped the shark, based on their publication of the Playful Puppies Bible. Yes, it turns out they have. As proof, see Our Constitution Rocks by 14-year-old FOX News conservative, Juliette Turner. Seriously, you’ve got to watch this promo video — there are even outtakes at the end: (more…) Read more
Already shown up by Jim Henson’s widow, who pulled the partnership with the evangelical chicken chain, Chik-fil-A has engaged in PR stupidity that would make a good Brady Bunch episode. Signs were posted at Chik-fil-A’s stating that the Muppet promotion had ended due to unsafe toys, while the real reason was the outspoken homophobia of the chain’s CEO. Then, rather than fessing up to it, Chik-fil-A (or its proxy) invented a Facebook profile of a teenage girl named Abby Farle,... Read more
In thinking about Michael’s post yesterday, I was imagining what a difference it makes to my own children that they don’t go to Sunday school. They really never have. And I wonder, is that helping them or hurting them? Growing up, I went to Sunday school, just about every week. I have some good memories of that, and I was raised in a moderate, centrist, thoughtful church. Nevertheless, it’s the very theology that I was taught in Sunday school from... Read more
Back in my youth ministry days, I took several trips to Peru. There, I visited the World Vision ADP (Area Development Project) in the Quiquijana district outside of Peru. They were amazing and life-changing trips, especially because I got to meet a boy that I had been sponsoring for years. That boy grew up, and I let my World Vision sponsorship lapse. Well, next month I’ll be joining a group of bloggers to visit World Vision sites around Sri Lanka.It’ll... Read more
My dear friend, Michael Toy, has a heart-rending post about his son’s experience at church. If you’re in youth ministry, please read it. Hell, if you’re in ministry, please read it: The Day They Kicked my Son out of Sunday School Once upon a time there was church somewhere in America. It wasn’t better or worse than any other church in America. It was as full of the same kind of hopeful foolish beauty, and tragic inevitable disaster as any another... Read more
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