Public Discourse and The Language of Derision

Last updated on: June 30, 2016 at 11:33 am By Frederick Schmidt

The language of derision has become increasingly commonplace in public discourse. The labels, “stupid,” “elitist,” “racist,” and their synonyms have become increasingly commonplace in public discourse. Our political leaders use the language of derision to describe the people they lead when they fail to respond positively to their appeals. Political operatives use the language of derision in ads and promotions that provide cover for candidates who hope to benefit from that kind of language, but distance themselves from it at... Read more

Evangelicals, Donald Trump, and 4 Lessons in Politics for the Church

Last updated on: June 22, 2016 at 3:20 pm By Frederick Schmidt

The meeting that a handful of Evangelicals had with Donald Trump this week has something to teach Evangelicals and Christians of every stripe. One: Meetings of this kind run the risk of painting the whole of a segment of the Christian community in terms that appear unified and homogenous. Christians — even hyphenated Christians (Evangelical-Christians, Progressive-Christians, Roman Catholic-Christians, etc.) — do not see their faith or political issues in the same way. But when a group of individuals meet with... Read more

3 Things Religious Leaders Can Do in the Wake of the Massacre in Orlando

Last updated on: June 13, 2016 at 1:09 pm By Frederick Schmidt

Reflecting on the terrorist attack on “The Pulse” in Orlando, columnist, Bruce Bower, notes that the events “’shocked’” some politicians. “’Who would have expected such a thing?’ people kept asking.” Bower observes something that I’ve thought for some time as well: “Actually, I’ve been expecting just such a thing for years. The only shock was that it took this long for some jihadist to go after a gay establishment. Islamic law, after all, is crystal clear on homosexuality, though the... Read more

The Decoder Ring Approach to Revelation

Last updated on: June 8, 2016 at 2:00 pm By Frederick Schmidt

The decoder ring approach to reading the book of Revelation has, sadly, become the de facto orthodox approach to interpreting it. As a result, the vast majority of people, when asked about their views of the book often assume that it should be read as a roadmap to our lives or, more accurately, the end of our lives. There are countless problems with this approach to reading the Book of Revelation, but here are my top three: One the roadmap approach... Read more

Four Reasons for Abandoning the Term, Post-Christian

Last updated on: June 3, 2016 at 3:57 pm By Frederick Schmidt

The potted definition of Post-Christianity that Wikipedia offers, summarizes as well as any, a term that is frequently used to describe the challenge that the contemporary church faces: “the loss of the primacy of the Christian worldview in political affairs, especially in the Global North where Christianity had previously flourished, in favor of alternative worldviews such as secular nationalism.[2] It includes personal world views, ideologies, religious movements or societies that are no longer rooted in the language and assumptions of Christianity, at least explicitly, although they had previously been in an environment... Read more

Don’t tell the unemployed, “It doesn’t make sense.”

Last updated on: May 25, 2016 at 10:22 am By Frederick Schmidt

“It doesn’t make sense.” That’s the common refrain from across the table — the one thing the handful of people who will talk to you will say over and over again when you are unemployed: “It doesn’t make sense.” There are many reasons for that refrain. Some are simply trying to understand. The work that you did, the contribution that you made, the stack of commendations that you received, the article that featured your work, the claims that the company relied... Read more

7 Things that Pentecost has to teach The United Methodist Church — and the rest of us

Last updated on: May 17, 2016 at 6:08 pm By Frederick Schmidt

Here we are, one day after Pentecost and life is back to normal. Hearing the text of the Book of Acts read in multiple languages was exhilarating last week. This week it feels like happy-talk. Watching my United Methodist sisters and brothers navigate yet another General Conference is painful. It is difficult to watch the members of a great church with a rich tradition struggle to remain civil with one another. I am mindful of just how much those dynamics... Read more

3 Reasons Why Immortality Isn’t Everything It’s Cracked Up to Be

Last updated on: May 12, 2016 at 10:31 am By Frederick Schmidt

Chinese tech giant, Huawei, is on a campaign to compete with religion beyond the grave. More accurately, I suppose, one could argue that with the company’s help, the Chinese government is trying to erase the need for religious convictions by making the grave irrelevant. Or that’s the conclusion reached by Catholic Theologian, Thomas Williams. Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Shanghai this week, Huawei’s Kevin Ho, President of their handset products line, announced that soon children could use WeChat... Read more

4 Ways Spiritual Direction Could Change the Church

Last updated on: May 4, 2016 at 8:59 am By Frederick Schmidt

There are times when, as theological educators, we have the rare privilege of not only contributing to a discipline, but we also get a front row seat to historic change. The practice of spiritual direction has entered one of those history-making chapters. Spiritual direction is a structured effort to listen for the voice of God with the assistance of a one-on-one relationship with a spiritual director or companion who provides space for that effort and asks questions that prompt the... Read more

5 Priorities as We Vote

Last updated on: April 19, 2016 at 8:33 am By Frederick Schmidt

A number of years ago, I invited a New Testament scholar to speak at the Cathedral in Washington. I picked him up at Reagan – National – Airport – in Washington – by God – DC. We drove up the tidal basin past the Jefferson Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, west of the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol, and then traveled up Rock Creek Parkway, past the Kennedy Center. “You, know,” he said, “I began... Read more