Date: March 2, 2021
Candy Boxing and Social Media Gone Wild
Nearly everyone over a fairly young age has seen, in reruns or on YouTube, the TV comedy classic scene of Lucy and Ethel working on the candy boxing assembly line. […]
Category: Blog Posts
Date: February 23, 2021
Not Even Almost Chosen
“[H]is almost chosen people.” Ever since learning this provocative phrase spoken by Lincoln about the US in 1861, I’ve used it. “Almost chosen” sounds like “nearly chosen” or, in the […]
Date: February 17, 2021
Christian Nationalism May Be Different, and Closer, than You Imagine
“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12 (NRSV) Taking Back America for […]
Date: February 9, 2021
Individualism is a Deadly Delusion
“God created everything” is an ancient truth-claim. According to this claim, everything and everyone is related, for all comes from the same Creator. Human beings do not exist in the […]
Date: February 2, 2021
How Not to Take Responsibility for One’s Actions
There is churn in the news these days about “responsibility” and “accountability,” about how words from one person influence the actions of others—or not. The Bible contains numerous comments and […]
Date: January 26, 2021
Lessons on Unity from the Ecumenical Movement
My dissertation was focused on the modern ecumenical movement, that effort by churches, especially in the 20th century, to overcome centuries of division. The goal was outward and visible unity. The […]
Date: January 19, 2021
The Pain of Healing
A pitcher throws a 99-mph fastball and nails the batter between the shoulder blades. The batter charges the mound and benches empty as the pitcher shouts, “It is time for […]
Date: January 12, 2021
White Christianity, Democracy, and the Future
“Equality for all” has nearly always taken a back seat to “liberty for some” in America, and white Christianity is the heart of that hierarchy. Whether this nation is of […]
Date: January 5, 2021
Ecumenical Dialogue and the Journey from Enmity to Community
In the centuries preceding the establishment of the United States, Christians slaughtered each other. Lutherans and Calvinists could not abide Mennonites or Arminian Baptists. Even in the American colonies, Quakers […]
Date: December 21, 2020
For Those Who Did Not Get the Phone Call
Robert Short wrote one of the first theology books I owned: The Gospel According to Peanuts. In the Peanuts strip, Charles Schulz introduced readers to many ethical, philosophical, and theological […]