The address that Pope Francis gave this morning before Congress was holistic and pro-life. He spoke to the needs of the poor, the dreams of the common man and woman, the preservation of the creation, the devastating impact of violence, the danger of fundamentalism, the fragile nature of the modern family, the death penalty, and the need to protect the unborn. He pointed us to the contemplative, Thomas Merton, and the activist, Dorothy Day. He spoke to the example of... Read more
Earlier this week The Guardian declared, “Justin Welby’s plan to split the Anglican Church tells us a lot about religion and politics.” As English Bishop Nick Baines observed, the headline also told us a lot about the journalistic talent of some of the folks at The Guardian. Baines tweeted, “Can’t they read?” Evidently not. Clearly, the Archbishop of Canterbury is not trying to split the Anglican Communion by calling for a global meeting of the church’s leaders. What he is trying to do, I... Read more
Last week’s blog was devoted to a question for leaders: “Are you a founder, an inheritor, or a beneficiary?” Based on some reading that I did some years ago in The Harvard Business Review, I suggested many enterprises (religious enterprises included) fail in the third generation, because their leaders treat the institutions and organizations that have been entrusted to their care as an entitlement. What are the characteristics of a third generation leader who avoids that temptation and becomes a... Read more
Some years ago The Harvard Business Review reported that 97% of all family-run businesses fail by the third generation. The article theorized that the reason for this rate of failure can be traced to the generational changes that take place in the lifespan of those businesses. I no longer recall exactly how the article framed the analysis, but my memory of it and my version of the argument goes something like this: The founding generation has the vision for a... Read more
In recent years churches have made a greater effort to prepare members of their congregations for death. But much of that conversation is still squarely focused on advanced directives and clergy often delegate that responsibility to people who know more about the attendant legal complexities. That, no doubt, is an appropriate choice. Churches and clergy pay less attention to the funeral arrangements themselves. Having been through that process with members of our family and with parishioners, my wife and I... Read more
For many of us it can be hard to believe that the Holy Spirit speaks in a way that is real or helpful. That struggle can be traced to a number of factors: We live in a culture that doesn’t expect God to “show up.” When we do talk about the work of the Holy Spirit, we use rarified, impenetrable, stained-glass language. And most of what we expect to hear in listening to the Spirit is couched in such pious... Read more
Religious leaders cannot control what everyone in their circle chooses to do. That kind of control has never been possible and the challenge is even greater today. The hallmark of contemporary life is the flight from accountability. Rugged individualism has become petulant self-indulgence, hiding behind the guise of “my rights.” The priesthood of all believers has degenerated into “every person a god,” “each person’s private convictions a religion.” But we can shape the ecclesiastical culture in which we work. We... Read more
“What did you say?” With spring cleaning behind us, it’s time to reexamine the language we use and the real meaning of some of the expressions that have found their way into our vocabulary. Here are 15 words and phrases that deserve to die. Feel free to add your own nominees in the comments selection below and strike a blow for cleaner, direct communication! “In my humble opinion” (IMHO) I am about to say something that I don’t... Read more
I’m an Episcopal priest and my wife is a “parish” priest, which means that her “day job” — if there were such a thing in a church (not) — is shaped by the rhythm and demand of caring for the spiritual needs of a congregation. So, I have experience as a clergy person and as the spouse of a clergy person. The spouses don’t often get a chance to tell their own story, but if they could, here are twelve things... Read more
According to experts great and small, we’ve lost our ability to disagree. Rather than discuss our differences and stay in conversation with one another, we go on the attack. We belittle, judge, and demonize one another. And, when all else fails, we walk away. That’s a loss, not just because we are divided into ever smaller tribes of what we imagine are like-minded groups of people, but because there are important reasons to learn how to disagree. What should be... Read more
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