The Text that Deconstructs our Control (if we let it)…

Copernican Revolution
Reading Beyond Liberalism & Fundamentalism:  How Modern and Postmodern Philosophy Set the Theological Agenda, Nancy Murphy.
Also thinking about redaction of the Hebrew Scriptures.  The evidence that exists within and beyond the canon of Scripture that the Pentateuch is composed of four main sources or documents that were edited together:  J, E, P, and D.  [...]

All Saints Day…

We will observe All Saint’s Day on Sunday, Nov. 1 (although I will be speaking at Strasburg Mennonite Church for Renewal Meetings). During our worship service we will remember our loved ones whose faith in Christ has given us encouragement.  Jean and Rachel will be creating an altar space which contains photos or remembrances of departed [...]

Cultivating Communities of Faith, Hope and Love…

Faith, hope and love.  These are gifts that emerge out of the biblical story.  These are the gifts which sustain community. Words, stories, community.  God’s story, composting in the soil under our bare feet, cultivating our journey into the beloved community.
In the biblical creation story, God speaks and moves. Without a prototype or patent–light, darkness, water, earth, plants, [...]

The future is mestizo…

In this post I want to engage the integrative motif of Elizondo–mestizaje.  The Future is Mestizo:  Life Where Cultures Meet, Revised Edition, Virgilio Elizondo
Mestizaje:  the process through which two totally different peoples mix biologically and culturally so that a new people begins to emerge, e.g., Europeans and Asians give birth to Euroasians; Iberians and Indians [...]

The Christendom mindset…

Incredibly helpful analysis provided by Stuart Murray (200-202).
He says, The Christendom mindset includes:

Orientation towards maintaining (but perhaps tweaking) the status quo rather than advocating radical and disturbing change.
Wanting to control history and bring in God’s kingdom (even coercively) rather than trusting the future to God.
Over-emphasizing church and internal ecclesial issues at the expense of God’s [...]

Incarnation: Towards an embodied spirituality…

…the church lives in the world as a new society to bring to civil government a vision for a new redemptive order.  It cannot do this in a triumphalist way, but in modesty and humility, aware of its own need for repentance.
Duane Friesen, Artists, Citizens, Philosophers
We are not at all just an accidental anomaly, [...]

The Recess Queen: A parable about subverting empire…

Mean Jean is the Recess Queen and she rules the playground with an iron fist. No one dares to question her power until a new student comes to school and changes the way the recess works.
“What [...]

Going where you do not wish to go…

With the permission of Ron Adams, I am posting here the text of the sermon he preached at my ordination service-October 12, 2008.  The scripture readings were from Ephesians 4:1-16 and John 18:15-18, 25-27; John 21:15-19.

They were still at the table when the prophetic word was spoken. Still reclining there, perhaps sipping a last cup [...]

Matthew 18 sermon

I found Elaine Ramshaw’s commentary on this text to be very helpful (“Matthew 18:  Power and Forgiveness”)  Several observations/preaching points:
Three ways of responding to offense/conflict/sin in the church or in any relationship:
Attack:  (blame and shame, passive aggressive behavior)
Retreat:  (“things aren’t going the way I would like, so I’m going to take my toys and go [...]

Albert Outler’s primer…

(Photo from NY Times. Cultural clash in Riyahd)
Notes from Who Trusts In God, Albert Outler
(New York: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1968)
the rise of modern paganism
Voltaire: the first great prophet of modern paganism. “I am not a Christian, but it is in the interest of being able to love better.” Died in [...]