There and back again (or a pattern of Religious Education)

If anyone is a Tolkien fan, that title is the other name for The Hobbit. And it expresses a truth about learning to live a faith.

The first step in living a faith is to actually have a home. Find a community. Attend regularly. Be active in its life. Know what . . . → Read More: There and back again (or a pattern of Religious Education)

The Advice Generation Gap

There are a lot of religious ghosts in this article.

The article is a short cute story about “kids these days” and how they don’t value the oldsters advice like they used to. The 4th commandment (5th if you go by the Reformed count) is Honor your Father and Mother. Luther’s explanation, like all . . . → Read More: The Advice Generation Gap

No Ownership of the Future

Maybe a little intellectual, but good philosophy.

Although I think it was said shorter in a couple of places like: Luke 12:23-25 (“who can add a single hour to his span of life?) or Philippians 1:21-23 or Luke 17:33 or Matt 6:11 (daily bread) or Exod 16:18-20 (the manna only lasts one day) or . . . → Read More: No Ownership of the Future

Joseph Bottom has been Listening to the Lectionary…

Here is an essay by the above mentioned Joseph Bottom at First Things. Warning, it is deep and political and not a simple read. Truly about First Things as an American.

We come across these hard sayings like, “I’ve not come to bring peace but division (Luke 12:51)” or the refrain “the first will . . . → Read More: Joseph Bottom has been Listening to the Lectionary…

Who’s afraid of ET?

From this article…

In our own time, most Christians are in denial about these difficulties. The few contemporary theologians who dare to pronounce on the subject usually shrug it aside with the comment that the existence of intelligent aliens would not pose a problem for Christianity. But it would pose a problem, and a huge one . . . → Read More: Who’s afraid of ET?

Old as Dirt (or be sure to update you cultural markers…)

In writing sermons the cultural references are always tricky. You come embedded with your own, but you are hopefully preaching for an audience that spans WW2 vets (although fewer) to Dora the Explorer Birthday party people. Being attentive here means trying to work in different references and translating if possible (i.e. Capt. Reynolds . . . → Read More: Old as Dirt (or be sure to update you cultural markers…)

The medium is the message

That was of course Marshall McLuhan bemoaning the vast wasteland of TV. The more serious point is that particular mediums (TV, books, radio, talking, letters) are not just tubes to deliver something, but they mold or form the message itself. Books are solitary, serious and heavy. TV is fast and visual. . . . → Read More: The medium is the message

Todd Wilken meets Brian McLaren or Modern meets Post-Modern

I’m going to post two links. The first is an interview done by Scott McKnight with Brian McLaren. The second is a link to the Issues, Etc. archives regarding an interview Todd Wilken did with Brian McLaren. The background is this. Brian McLaren is an “emerging church” guy. He is an . . . → Read More: Todd Wilken meets Brian McLaren or Modern meets Post-Modern

Struggling with Words

Its been a while since I put something up. The main reason is that I’ve been struggling with the format vs. the intent. The format of the web or specifically a blog really is an off the cuff give and take medium. Nobody enjoys a good ironic line or scathing bit of . . . → Read More: Struggling with Words

Spiritual, not religious…exactly the wrong attitude?

This article by Mr. Charles Blow in the New York Times is an interesting article that confirms a longer running idea in kids or young adult ministry. I can remember 12 years ago when the catch phrase was mystery. Youth didn’t like “religion”, but they dug that mystery.

The opening story of the young . . . → Read More: Spiritual, not religious…exactly the wrong attitude?