Date: July 21, 2021
Change the Culture
Some years ago, there was a social media phenomenon that was centered on people holding up signs that were responses to the question, short-handed as “WDYDWYD?” Why do you do […]
RPLI Posts
Date: July 15, 2021
Committing Faith in Public with the Rev. Dr. Lisa Barnett
One of the most unfortunate pieces of data from graduate seminary graduating student interviews is which courses graduands wish they had fewer of: history. In this pivotal era of the […]
Date: July 13, 2021
Split Realities
We live in weird times. Really weird, akin to alternative or split reality shows. When dyed-in-the-wool United Methodist Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016, her religion—was clearly (I thought) […]
Date: July 6, 2021
Change Is Possible
The 4th of July fell on a Sunday this year. The congregation I attend, the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, has a tradition of making July a “revival” […]
Date: June 29, 2021
With Apologies to Mr. Lincoln
Twelve score and five years ago our forebears brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, Bondage, and Theft, but dedicated to the proposition that all human […]
Date: June 16, 2021
God Blesses… and Condemns
This is the third of four sermon starters for the 4th of July weekend. I’m taking common Christian religious claims about the U.S. and re-examining them. Readers are free to […]
Date: June 11, 2021
Committing Faith in Public with the Rev. Dr. Charisa Hunter-Crump
“What were the challenges of doing and being church during a pandemic? How prepared was your congregation? What were the learning curves you embraced? What did you learn about church […]
Date: June 8, 2021
Canceling “Chosenness”
This is the second of four sermon starters for the 4th of July weekend. I’m taking common Christian religious claims about the U.S. and re-examining them. Last week was “In […]
Date: June 1, 2021
In God We (Don’t) Trust
This is the first of 4 sermon starters for July 4th weekend. Preachers are free to use them. In each sermon, I endeavor to interpret this moment in the nation’s […]
Date: May 25, 2021
As Sick as Our Secrets
There is a true truism among family therapists and recovery groups: a family is as sick as its secrets. In this week during which the eyes of national reporters, and […]