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The very reason for this blog
As I have tried to limit my Facebook exposure over the last day or so, I’ve read the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding the Supreme Court decision to allow gay marriage in all 50 states. To those who did a lot of hand wringing waiting for this decision and are now decrying the “fall of America” or something…
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The so-called wall of separation between church and state
Dallas Willard crushes the “wall of separation” argument when it comes to the First Amendment. The First Amendment is about something Congress (and, as interpreted by the the Supreme Court and state governments) cannot do. It is not about what Christian should not do. We now live under the influence of a gigantic myth about a “wall of separation” between “church and state,” a…
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What is Freedom?
I am working my way through The Diving Conspiracy Continued by Dallas Willard and Gary Black, Jr. It is a continuation of Willard’s work, but moving into the realm of society. He has a chapter called “Economics and Politics” and describes the difficulty of even defining the word “freedom.” 1. I am “free” only if no one is telling me what to…
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The power of forgiveness in Charleston mystifies our culture
On and on the pundits go, on the left and on the right, as to how something about that act of forgiveness the family members of the shooting in Charleston extended to the killer isn’t right! It’s not a matter of some “order” to forgive. It’s not a matter of the killer accepting it. It is about the power to forgive. And…
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His kingdom is NOT of this world
It is still amazing to me how the powerful forgiveness demonstrated by the families of the Emanuel AME members who were slain a week ago. Some reactions are very real with emotion. They can’t forgive. That makes sense. There are atrocities that hit and we think, “I just can’t do it.” It’s an emotional response that is real. Others have said if…
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The astonishing power of forgiveness
Two articles I came across the last couple of days completely missed the power of the Church and forgiveness. One from the “left” and the other from the “right.” One column declared blacks need to quit forgiving white racists. Forgiveness has become a requirement for those enduring the realities of black death in America. That misses the power of forgiveness…
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The church is into mass production rather than fine art
I am working my way again through Simon Chan’s marvelous book, Liturgical Theology. As a Pentecostal scholar who calls us back into the deep “traditions” of the Church, I have found this book to be a refreshing read over the years. Chan doesn’t pull punches. He wants us to return to Cyprian’s goal of saying one who doesn’t have the Church…
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The ultimate apologetic — just try SOMETHING!
“The ultimate apologetic — that is to say, the ultimate lifter of doubt — is the believer acting in faith in an interactive life with God. That’s it. People need to see individuals living in daily interaction with the kingdom of the heavens: praying and saying. If we want to really attack doubt, what we have to attack is our own hesitancy…
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One vocation
I am finishing Merton’s autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain. His call was ultimately to the monastic life. He became a Cistercian monk and led the way in contemplative life that has served as example for generations of believers following him. His writing has paved the way. The simplicity of vocation isn’t about giving up everything and entering a monastery. Simple vocation,…
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White. Male. Evangelical. Pentecostal.
A CALL TO AMERICAN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS I very rarely read a book than once. Outside of the Bible, there are a handful I’ve made a second attempt at. Beyond that, it’s been Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy and one more: Thomas Merton’s autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain. Those of you who read me enough think I’m a Willard nut? (And I am.) I’ve…
