I am again working my way through Marcus Borg’s and John Crossan’s 2007 book The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus’s Birth. I love the way they gently invite readings to set aside questions about the factuality of the events described so differently in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, as well … Continue reading “The First Christmas”
Category: theology
Happy New Year!
Happy new year! What? It’s not January? I know, but the season of Advent is the start of the Christian calendar. We begin the year listening to God’s promises revealed through Jesus: the promise of a new heaven and new earth, promises of rebirth, promises of a new hope for all humanity. Unfortunately, some people … Continue reading “Happy New Year!”
Church in the World Today
In America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity (2005), Robert Wuthnow, an American sociologist, argues that we have possibly been going about these ecumenical (inter-Christian) and inter-faith dialogues all wrong. He writes that we have been so focused on theology (understandings about God) that we have completely missed the opportunities to simply be in relationship, … Continue reading “Church in the World Today”
A Letter to Anti-Church Prognosticators: Just Cut the Crap Already!
To those who would say that the Church is an antiquated and dying institution that continues to cling to the myth of an all powerful God: Mission trips, Sunday nights, summer beach campouts, and food fights in the fellowship hall were all part of my church experience. We got into our fair share of trouble. … Continue reading “A Letter to Anti-Church Prognosticators: Just Cut the Crap Already!”
SparkHouse Animate
I am excited that the folks at SparkHouse are coming out with a cool new adult curriculum to “spark” new life into our Christian lives with awesome content and some pretty funny and goofy cartoon videos. I’ve been using SparkHouse’s re:Form youth confirmation curriculum for a few years now, and I love it (it’s actually … Continue reading “SparkHouse Animate”