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The Liberating Mystery of God With Us

This story takes place at the edge of empire and completely out of sight of the state and its power. Though in ways unintentional and unknown to the powerful and the State act in concert with God, for their own undoing. Not immediately, not in away that to us looks timely or efficient, but undone all the same. A Christianity associated with empires and conquerors, especially as it did the period…

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The Mystery and Scandal of Particularity: A sermon or the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scriptues for the Fourth Sudnay of Advent: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16  • Luke 1:46b-55   • Romans 16:25-27   • Luke 1:26-38 King David, once a shepherd boy, the youngest of his brothers, now he has secured his position as king of Israel and the territorial integrity of Israel. With a fine palace to show for it, while the god of Israel has a tent and not a palace. The ark of the covenant is still in the…

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Waiting on the Fire of Repentance

Isaiah 40:1-11  •  2 Peter 3:8-15a   •  Mark 1:1-8 The Scriptures read on the Second Sunday of Advent lead us to contemplate repentance and waiting. Repentance isn’t just confession and being sorry for one’s sin. Repentance is opening up to transformation, thus turning around, and going in a new direction. Repentance isn’t saying I’m sorry and then carrying on as before. Repentance responds to an…

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The Perplexing Remembrance of Saint Nicholas

  Saint Nicholas is one of the first Saints of the church, after those mentioned in the New Testament, that I learned about as a child (Santa Lucia was the other one, but that’s for another post). Protestants aren’t big on Saints, “All Christians are saints.”, so the logic goes. But being German remembering Saint Nicholas on December sixth was a significant for my father. He relished telling us…

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On Kings, Sheep, and the Reign of Christ

Scripture texts, RCL Year A, for Reign of Christ Sunday: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Psalm 95:1-7a Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46 It was not uncommon in the ancient world for kings to be described metaphorically as shepherds. This metaphor carried the ideal of a king as protector of the week and the innocent. This was the fable of kingship. The king was to be in solidarity with those in need of…

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A Narrowed Way : American Christianity, Eugene Peterson and LGBTQ Christians

A Narrowed Way : American Christianity, Eugene Peterson and LGBTQ Christians

Eugene Peterson’s answers to Jonathan Merritt’s questions gay marriage and Gay and Lesbian Christians I didn’t read to me like a resolute advocacy for LGBTQ Christians and their full inclusion in the life of the Church. His retraction the day after the RNS interview was published, would appear to confirm this reading. Peterson’s answer to Merritt’s questions, fit with the measured tone and local…

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Church and Health Care

Church and Health Care

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27 (NRSV) As you go, proclaim the good news,  ‘The Kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleans the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment: give without payment. Matthew 10:7,8 (NSRV)…

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A play list for the beginning of the Feast of Easter #NowPlaying Octave of Easter by Larry Kamphausen

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#NowPlaying Holy Saturday by Larry Kamphausen

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#NowPlaying Good Friday by David Hansen

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The King of Glory

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Some photos from Holy Friday and Holy Saturday from all over the world

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#NowPlaying Good Friday Dark alternative by Larry Kamphausen

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#NowPlaying Maundy Thursday 2016 by Tripp Hudgins

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letting @spotify take me on a journey through current dark wave. a good gloomy night #NowPlaying Too Soon to Tell by Drab Majesty

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On Paczki’s, Fat Tuesday, and Ashes

On Paczki’s, Fat Tuesday, and Ashes

What’s going on with Packi’s and Mardi Gras? Today in many grocery stores In Chicago you will find the polish pastry paczki, prominently displayed for sale. Today is of course Paczki Day, or Mardi Gras. If one is from New Orleans the celebration of Mardi Gras isn’t confined to this Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, in Brazil and other Countries this SEASON before Ash Wednesday is known as Carnival.…