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Idolatry
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to death —even…
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Heartbreak
Two stories I ran across that speak to heartache and grief I carry. One is about the deepening issue of Christian nationalism. I had called it culturalized Christianity years ago, and things are only worse.
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The Pilgrimage, Pt. 4
Part 1Part 2Part 3 The last “part” of our pilgrimage involving the Whitney Plantation transpired this weekend. It was in two-parts, and I was so glad we chose to be in both events on Saturday that took place at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Mobile, AL.
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Why we are still so LOST as an American church
I am re-reading a classic in my life: The Dynamics of Spiritual Life by Richard Lovelace. I found a used copy online and have begun a fresh journey through these pages. Lovelace, writing decades ago, gets at why we are in such a mess in our current spiritual state in the white conservative American church. We have no awareness of…
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Thoughts on Lent
This Lent has been a bit different. The focus for us has been almsgiving. My main text has been Isaiah 58. There is still some time left in Lent, but my big takeaway to this point: Our private piety means nothing of the goodness of the Kingdom isn’t flowing out tangibly to bring goodness and abundance to those on the…
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The canon of reading in racial justice
This past week had an optic that was stark for me. It was during the confirmation hearing of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and the Republicans were working for their sound-bite “gotcha” moments. Senator Ted Cruz hammered away at the curriculum at Georgetown Day School, where Judge Jackson is on the board of trustees.
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What is a spiritual practice?
Too often a “spiritual practice” may be assumed to be something “private” or “personal.” This was not the view of OT Israel, or God’s covenant. John Goldingay has an interesting insight: People in Jerusalem were particularly interested in the spiritual practice of fasting and were puzzled as to why it didn’t work. It’s obvious why to the prophet, and it…
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Lessons from Isaiah 58
I have touched Isaiah 58 from time to time in my journal during this Lenten season. Currently, I am finding a couple of things that stand out.
