Civil Religion
On boats, nets, and not hiding from the world
There is a traditional prayer among fisherman that goes something like, "Be merciful, Lord. The sea is so wide, and my boat is so small." When you think about that prayer as an individual, it makes perfect sense. We often do feel like very fragile vessels in a very large and threatening ocean. Th…
Feb 09, 2012 | 3:00 pm | Loading…
Burnout brings economic and spiritual challenges
Stuck in the muddy ruts of our lives, burnout seems inevitable. Recognizing the signs of burnout includes gaining a fresh perspective so that we may once again be renewed.
Feb 07, 2012 | 9:33 pm | Loading…
Standing with the Catholic bishops on religious freedom
Please tell me that you are paying attention to what is happening right now between the Catholic Church and the Obama Administration. I have to be honest in saying that I have too many work commitments to do justice to this story, and yet it deserves every ounce of attention we can give to it. Al…
Feb 07, 2012 | 9:43 am | Loading…
A young mom rediscovers life, love and peace through her kids and her faith
What do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe?
Feb 06, 2012 | 10:45 pm | Loading…
Super Bowl XLVI: America's Holy Day
Tim Tebow won't be there. But don't be surprised if God makes an appearance this Sunday, because we are entering holy days.
Feb 03, 2012 | 1:30 pm | Loading…
What Harry Potter teaches about vocation
My feelings about the Harry Potter series are different than the ones I had about Narnia as a child, but my daughter's question did help me realize one point of connection:I believe the boy wizard's story illustrates in a lively and entertaining way the whole idea of call or vocation, which is pa…
Feb 03, 2012 | 11:15 am | Loading…
Super Bowl brings opportunities for super sharing
Come Sunday, the players will take their positions and the great rematch will begin. Just in case you don't have thousands to spend on tickets to the Super Bowl, you're in luck.
Feb 02, 2012 | 10:19 pm | Loading…
Stuff Presbyterian Seminarians Say
A little present for those Presbyterians (PCUSA) gearing up for ordination exams this week. Just a reminder of how wonderful -- and wonderfully ridiculous -- our tradition is. Thanks to all those who helped -- both PCA and PCUSA alike. Good luck on exams!
Jan 26, 2012 | 6:10 pm | Loading…
Stuff people say to pastors
Naughtiness is creating a stir these days. Viral videos promoting "stuff (fill in the blank) people say" are everywhere. It led me to think about what sort of stuff people tell their pastors.
Jan 26, 2012 | 5:35 pm | Loading…
Reconsidering God's Whale of a Tale
For years I've resisted preaching about Jonah. I'm not sure exactly, but perhaps I wasn't ready to tackle this story. Decades ago, a seminary professor reminded me that sometimes there are stories preachers are not ready to preach
Jan 26, 2012 | 12:25 pm | Loading…
Pastors: Stay out of the bully pulpit
I preached my first sermons a couple of weeks ago. I've spent my entire life listening to sermons, week in and week out, never imagining I'd be standing at the pulpit myself someday. The experience brought to mind one of my assignments in the "Exploring Christian Ministry" class I took this past …
Jan 21, 2012 | 9:24 pm | Loading…
Fending off intrusions in sacred spaces
I'm not saying screens are never appropriate in certain places-places I consider sacred, like church, or others that have a near-sacred function, like art museums and theaters. I'm simply saying that we ought to resist a too-easy acceptance of them.
Jan 20, 2012 | 10:08 am | Loading…
Events here and far away should provoke moral outrage
Over the past few days I've been saddened and repulsed after reading the offenses committed by a group of teenagers in St. Louis, and the acts of four of our Marines in Afghanistan. What has been even more repugnant is the response of these perpetrators and the comments of fellow citizens in disc…
Jan 15, 2012 | 3:40 pm | Loading…
The Supreme Court, a "minister," and the issue of trust
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in perhaps the most significant case involving religious liberty and the separation of church and state in decades. But it got me thinking about more than liberty.
Jan 13, 2012 | 2:00 pm | Loading…
Resolving to help others all year long
We live in such a strange world--a world so full of cheap and filling food that many people have trouble keeping extra weight off, and also a world that cannot figure out how to make sure that all children start their school day with a full stomach. How does one find a healthy balance in such a w…
Jan 12, 2012 | 8:00 pm | Loading…
Supreme Court: No stopwatch for ministers
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that church-employed workers who perform religious duties are not protected under federal discrimination laws.
Jan 11, 2012 | 11:45 pm | Loading…
Exploring MLK legacy as pastor and theologian
It's planning time for many congregations. Pastors and churches plunge into the New Year by tearing off the shrink wrap of new calendars and making plans. It's time to hit the reset button and start over.
Jan 11, 2012 | 9:02 pm | Loading…
King weekend services planned
The Dismantling Racism & Privilege Ministry Team of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has planned two events for the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr., weekend.
Jan 11, 2012 | 8:52 pm | Loading…
Latter-day Saints church leader among world's most admired
Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently joined Barack Obama, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates on America's top 10 list of most admired men.
Jan 07, 2012 | 12:21 pm | Loading…
What's in a name?
While people around the world were recovering from their New Year's Eve celebrations, those of us who managed to straggle into church this past Sunday got to celebrate the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. It's a feast that many overlook--unless it happens to fall on a Sunday, as it did this year.…
Jan 06, 2012 | 10:00 am | Loading…
Epiphany's light shines brightly for all
Friday, January 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany, a day Christians celebrate the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ. Epiphany concludes the incarnational cycle of Christmas, and is most often celebrated by reading Matthew's story of the visiting magi, or wise men
Jan 05, 2012 | 10:44 pm | Loading…
Fear and loathing in suburban Jerusalem
Rape is not about sex, it's about violence. So too Orthodox Jewish men attacking young Orthodox Jewish girls in Beit Shemesh, Israel this past week for wearing short sleeves was not about modesty (the perpetrated acts of violence were of course anything but modest), but about power.
Jan 01, 2012 | 12:27 pm | Loading…
Through all the circling years, God's faithfulness shines
Through it is tempting to rehash all the tragedies of this year - significant as they were - today I want to think about what worked well.
Dec 30, 2011 | 8:57 am | Loading…
About this blog
Conversations about faith can get heated quickly. On this blog, we hope to keep the discussion provocative, but thoughtful. With that in mind, we've recruited a dozen members of our community -- from across the spectrum of faiths, ideologies, ages, races and professions -- who are thoughtful about their own beliefs, and we asked them to share those thoughts on Civil Religion.
