I don’t know whether it is fitting or not, but on this Christmas Eve, I find myself reading “The Sabbath,” by Abraham Joshua Heschel. It is an old book (first published in 1951), but it is new to me, and I am loving it. This is his opening premise: “In technical civilization, we expend time…… Continue reading The Gift of Time
The Darkness does not overcome the Light
If you had to pick one [and only one!] verse that would sum up the heart of the gospel message, there are lots of good contenders, I think: Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord [Rom 8:38, paraphrase]; For God so loved…… Continue reading The Darkness does not overcome the Light
Standing the Fire
Soteriology–the doctrine of salvation–is my favorite topic in Christian theology. In many ways, it’s the center around which all other doctrines revolve, given that it gets at the heart of the gospel message of what Jesus has done for us; and I love the fact that the church endorses a wide variety of images and…… Continue reading Standing the Fire
What if it had been a Girl?
In my Ethics course this coming Wednesday, we are talking about ethical issues involving sexuality, among other things, and one of the pieces I am bringing to class for discussion is a New York Times article from Nov. 19th, 2011, titled “Secret Dread at Penn State,” by Daniel Mendelsohn. The opening sentence of the article…… Continue reading What if it had been a Girl?
A Christian Nation?
Last week, I went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, housed in the same building as the National Portrait Gallery—such great exhibits! As I was walking through the Folk Art exhibit on the first floor, I was struck by how many works were based on Scripture—I am including a few of my favorites in this…… Continue reading A Christian Nation?
The Joy of Waiting
I am not a patient person. Everyone who knows me even a little knows this is true: I do not wait well in lines, in traffic, or behind slow walkers. Nor am I able to accomplish time-consuming tasks that require deliberation, careful attention and meticulous care: I had to have a friend put on my…… Continue reading The Joy of Waiting
Feelings of Drought
I am confident that I am not the only Christian who has “spells of dryness”—in my life with God, in my life with others, and in my vocation. These are times when I feel barren: lonely, isolated, and incompetent—failing and falling. It is hard to talk about these periods—it is hard to know what to…… Continue reading Feelings of Drought
Seven Billion and Counting!
On the morning of Nov. 1st, I was listening to NPR like I always do when it was reported that the earth’s population had hit 7 billion people. And, as it turns out, like almost everything else, there’s an app for that: National Geographic magazine created an app that offers a selection of articles and…… Continue reading Seven Billion and Counting!
The Scandal of Christianity
Normally, I would not put Søren Kierkegaard [melancholic 19th century Danish philosopher/theologian] and James Cone [feisty 20th century black theologian] together on the same side of a theological line in the sand, but this week, they collided in a very interesting and helpful way. Kierkegaard came first: I have been reading Practice in Christianity with…… Continue reading The Scandal of Christianity
Shopping is a Religious Question
There is an article that will be coming out in Dialog this winter called “Religion and the Environment: Thomas Berry, the Bishnoi, and Satish Kumar,” by Christopher Ky Chapple.While I was editing this article, I was brought to a full stop by this quote:”Aparigraha means do not acquire what is not necessary. Do not shop…… Continue reading Shopping is a Religious Question
Happy Lutheran 