Tag: Christianity

  • What is essential

    Over the past few weeks I have listened to an argument online about the problems of evangelicalism. Two books that recently came out have seemed to arrive at different solutions because they perceive two different problems with evangelicalism. The Holy Post Podcast weighed on the books, the authors, and more in this episode and it is worth the listen. One…

  • How do we think of “scandal”

    Chuck DeGroat wrote a post on “scandal” where he was asked what the worst scandal he had seen in his years of work. Like any of us, he thought of “big name” pastors or “big name” churches. Singular events that caused quite a stir. I certainly can look back in my lifetime and think of the “biggies” attached to my…

  • The elusiveness of beauty

    The trouble with beauty, then, may not be that it resists definition. The trouble is that it refuses to remain an idea. Beauty asks something of us. It invites attention. It calls us beyond ourselves. It awakens longing for things that are true, good and whole. (More HERE) In the past few weeks I have pondered how I am so…

  • So… This Anglican Thing

    I wanted to post this again so I have a fresh look as I begin to formulate a book. I grew up in the Assemblies of God. I would have grown up in another Pentecostal denomination if there had been a church from that denomination in the town where I grew up. What was there was an Assemblies of God…

  • Mindset

    To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6, NRSVue) This post will be a bit more “autobiographical” as well as reflective.

  • Missing the voice of Dallas Willard

    The whole idea of this blog and its name came from reading Dallas Willard decades ago. When I talk about “Ancient Wells” and the familiar Scriptures to visit, it was an idea begun by reading and listening to Dallas Willard.

  • Week 15: The Affections of Christ Over Ideologies

    Thomas Merton in New Seeds of Contemplation wrote this: “A revolution is supposed to be a change that turns everything completely around. But the ideology of political revolution will never change anything except appearances.”

  • Pope Leo XIV

    An American pope. And immediately, ideologues are tearing into Pope Leo’s upbringing, teachings, actions, and how close he was or wasn’t to Pope Francis. We want him pigeonholed as quickly as possible so we can give our hot takes and then move on with how we will treat him going forward.

  • Attempting to overcome utilitarianism

    The assumption behind utilitarian pragmatism is that human endeavors are only deemed worthwhile if they are useful to the whole, whether that be a company, family or community. In such a world, those who are disabled, those who are oppressed, or those who are without voice are seen as ‘useless’ and disposable. We have a disposable culture that has made…

  • Lord, save me from certainty

    Three quick sayings that get in my mind from time to time: The opposite of love is not hate. It is silence. The opposite of faith is not doubt. It is certainty. The opposite of poverty isn’t wealth. It’s justice.