theology

Mark Driscoll is a true defender of the faith and minister of the Gospel. He also happens to be a personal favorite of Sheeple Blog. Mark has a few things to say about Charismatic Theology and it is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Ring Lardner, upon the occasion of his first visit to the Grand Canyon, remarked, "What a marvelous place to throw old razor blades." He was not usually a disrespectful person. But the sight of that incredible canyon, with the amazing riot of color and space, so overwhelmed him that he could not find words to match the experience. A wry, humorous aside sufficed. Most awe-inspiring events are so va

    "Senator Obama is part of this new and emerging group of Christians I have called the "religious left." The "religious left" is made up of people who identify themselves as Christians and hold strong religious beliefs as well as sharing left-wing ideals". Bill Keller The news media has crowned Pastor Bill Keller the next big thi

While I have some appreciation that AMiA has concerns about what it means to faithfully witness to Jesus, I generally think unity, that for which Jesus prayed, is a larger theological issue than differing views on human sexuality. Even if one desired to voice dissent, something for which I always want to maintain space, I question the decision of the hundreds of bishops that are boycotting the La

The question is not mine, but belongs to Jesus and comes to us through the gospel according to Matthew. Of course, the NRSV renders it slightly differently: "Are you also still without understanding?" Somewhat predictably, I like the more blunt translation: "Are you so dull?"Jesus, of course, was having a run in with the Pharisees and scribes over why his disciples weren't following their cleanli

It is uncommon that a former professor of mine finds their way into the blogosphere. Well, there's a first for everything. Give it a read, if nothing else, it's a good example of careful theological reflection. If only all theological blog posts were so literate.

For my non-Anglican friends: This is my favorite collect (collect - a brief formal prayer that is used in various Western liturgies before the epistle and that varies with the day), often called the collect for purity:Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may

I'm always annoyed that things like The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood exist. Really? I read the post, Are Women Called To Be Pastors?, on their blog. Gag. I'm glad they want to help the "church deal Biblically with gender issues," but as far as I'm concerned they are just mucking around in theological backwaters. The whole discourse would be more honest if they said, "Helping conserva

On March 1, 2007, when Rev. Wright blasted me, Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes for being too ignorant to even presume to speak on theology because we had not studied Black Liberation Theology (BLT), through his belligerent, imperious egomania, he effectively flung open the door for much of the potentially damaging scrutiny now being directed

I am reading William Stacy Johnson's, A Time to Embrace: Same-Gender Relationships in Religion, Law and Politics.To catch up, Prof. Johnson of Princeton Theological Seminary, was on the The Theological Task Force for the PC(USA). He gave a presentation to the task force about the different ways people do and can think about same-gender relationships. I am doing a presentation during the adult forum at my congregation on Johnson's scheme this Sunday. You can read a summary of the various responses to same-gender attraction here (although, he has added one category, and renamed some others for the book).This is where you will find resources from the Theological Task Force.A more in-depth study of Prof. Johnson's report is in pdf Same-Gender Relationships in the Church: Seven Theologi

By: Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights advocate — Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu When we were struggling in South Africa against the vicious racist policies of apartheid, it was exhilarating to proclaim to our people that our God was encountered first not in the peaceful quiet of a sanctuary. No, [...]

Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord's Supper # Author:Ben Witherington III# Format:PDF 1.0MB# Page Count:168# Publisher: Baylor University Press (2007)# Language: English# ISBN-10: 1602580154# ISBN-13: 9781602580152Making a Meal of It explores the background and implication of the Lord's Supper. Delving into its historical and Scriptural origins, Witherington argues that the Lord's Supper is a sacramental celebration of the community of God, designed to incorporate people of varying backgrounds. Excavating the diverse ways in which Scripture and early Christian tradition speak about the Lord's Supper, Witherington advocates that the meal is primarily about who the people of God are and how they should thus live together.

Not long ago I considered working for a random Christian organization but quickly learned that doing so would make us [at best] strange bedfellows. On the application they asked: We believe that Christians are called to take the initiative to share the gospel even when there is no pre-existing friendship or relationship. Do you have any theological objections to this kind of evangelism?I could have simply answered with one word: Yes! But I thought I'd actually try to answer the question in a manner that neither communicated my "are-you-crazy?" sentiments, nor was simply dismissive. Here was my response:Given the question, I would imagine that I would understand 'share the gospel' differently than some involved in your ministry. I affirm that Christians are to go into all the world to

Here is a good summarization of what Black Liberation Theology is: H/T to What Does the Prayer Really Say? The Marxist Roots of Black Liberation Theology by Anthony B. Bradley What is Black Liberation Theology anyway? Barack Obama’s former pastor,...

Dear friends, as promoters of the important message of Roman Curia Cardinal Arinze, we are happy to offer you 5 editions of his teachings on Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. We will start with an introduction for now. Remember that it would greatly benefit you, your family and parish to get your [...]

Ring Lardner, upon the occasion of his first visit to the Grand Canyon, remarked, "What a marvelous place to throw old razor blades." He was not usually a disrespectful person. But the sight of that incredible canyon, with the amazing riot of color and space, so overwhelmed him that he could not find words to match the experience. A wry, humorous aside sufficed. Most awe-inspiring events are so vast that words are inadequate for our response. So it is that preachers and pastors, who risk growing familiar with the mysteries of God, often are reduced to speech that may sound trite or at least (what is the word?) preachy. Words are the tools of our trade, so to speak. We are frequently invited to "say a few words." At public gatherings, we are expected to be profound and clever at the same ti

Everyone knows the Adam and Eve story. Eve temps Adam to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, and he does, and so God curses them and expels them from the garden. God curses Adam and Eve differently, giving Eve pain in childbirth and forcing Adam to toil for his food.But the verse in which Eve is cursed, Gen 3:16, holds a possibly revolutionary idea. From the King James Version:Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thyconception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desireshall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.This an many other verses elsewhere in the Bible combine to create a theological idea of female submission to rightful male dominance domestically and politically. The highlighted portion especially is used, since it is God'

UK. University of Exeter. Three years fully funded studentships are available to students who plan to enrol in MPhil or PhD programme in Sociology, Philosophy and Theology  within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Awards are payable in instalments on enrolment and continuation is subject to satisfactory annual progression. Studentships are awarded on academic merit

I love Sundays and the opportunity that they present for earnest contemplation of the week preceding. This week has been marked by many personal failings and by much stress and work. I feel tired and stretched and it has been a while since I spent any QT with God. Amongst my personal failings this week, [...]

I can't remember the year I first saw the 1958 movie Auntie Mame, starring Rosalind Russell, but the persona of the wildly eccentric aunt made an enormous impression on me. Curled up on the floor in a Dallas suburban home and watching Mame open new doors for her orphan nephew, I graduated from the Dorothy Gale School of No Place Like Home to a budding sophisticate. I wanted Auntie Mame to take me, too, to new places and to teach me how to live life large.A year or so ago here in New York, I attended a Sunday morning service at a large Episcopal church on Fifth Avenue, and the visiting priest (a woman, by the way) took as her sermon topic the Christ-like example of Mame Dennis. No kidding. The priest extolled the virtues of Auntie Mame's large spirit, anti-bigotry and generosity, and told u

In the past few weeks, more than one commentator has opined that Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s sermons about American foreign and domestic policy have no place in a space that is awarded not-for-profit status by the government. While this makes sense to many of us, it is important to examine the assumptions that come with such a belief. Assumption #1: Churches’ missions, as not-for-profit organizations, must not be about social or political change, but rather only about worship and “service” to community. As has been noted several times over the past few weeks, much social change has been rooted in organized religion. With respect to race relations, perhaps the most lucid reminder came from E.J. Dionne, who noted that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached what many considere

In a comment thread on a previous post I linked to a personal faith statement that I wrote a few years ago. As we have been talking about theological symbols, namely the resurrection, it occurred to me that there is a difference between personal faith, theology, and history. Last night as I was finishing The Gospel of the Second Coming by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy, I ran across an interesting passage.This book is a clever one. It is not for everyone. It is attempt to explain an early Christian interpretation of Jesus, often called Christian Gnosticism. We are only now learning about these alternative Christian movements thanks in part to recently discovered texts. Most of what we had previously known about them were by the various church fathers who didn't like them very much.

Theologian John Frame has written an essay called "Studying Theology as a Servant of Jesus," in which he lays out some advice that young theologians would do well to heed (ht). One caution he gives relates to the danger of condescension and a lack of humilty among students fresh out of Seminary or after a period of theological training. He writes,Such students lack the perspective of seeing theology as a spiritual task. Theology is application. If it doesn’t edify, it is worthless. It is not information for information’s sake. It should never be a vehicle of intellectual pride.“Simple believers” often know God better than many learned theologians. Many who lack formal theological training are better elders and deacons than any young seminarian could be. They may know less about aca

Ever had your guts ripped out? Ever had your spin ripped from your body with such force you fall to your knees in shock, wondering what just happened? Ever had your world explode around in with such force you are left deaf from the noise and numb to the results for days? Ever had fear over take you in such a way that you had no idea where to turn, how to move or even if you should? Ever been so

First Presby, Bill, wrote me an e-mail in response to my post earlier today Is Christmas Political? In response to Will Spotts summary of my theology, Bill wrote:I thoroughly enjoyed Supplement A. I think your theological views are extremely refreshing and germane for the 21st century. Maybe we can finally get out of the Dark Ages we have been stuck in for centuries. Have you considered hiring this guy as your PR front man? He is really good at picking out the meaty, thought provoking points. The collection of points is good for hours of contemplation for people who are not afraid of free thought, free will, enlightenment. This stage of my life is the ONLY time I ever wanted to go to church and it is because I finally have validation for the religious perspective that I developed myself in a vacuum. I finally have a community! Thanks, Bill! Glad you have found us and we you! I have to say that I am flattered that Mr. Spotts took the time to outline my theology, complete with

"I regard the Religious Right as a representative of a truncated if not idolatrous form of Christianity. Indeed, I think that the Religious Right is a desperate attempt of Protestantism to make sense of itself as a form of civil religion for America. That it why the Christianity represented by the Religious Right is one so strident and pathetic."--Stanley HauerwasThanks to Dan Greeson for the link to this lecture that Dr. Hauerwas gave last year at Boston College. If you have an hour free, give it a listen.[America's Young Theologian][Theology][Politics]

When Pentecostal minister Carlton Pearson lost his pulpit, he found compassion and shelter in an unlikely place: Among the Episcopalians. This essay evaluates the historicity, objectivity, and motivations of evangelical theology ... and how these characterstics alone distinguish it Catholic theology.

[My younger brother, Smooth, recently found himself in some difficult and overwhelming circumstances where he was forced to work out his own “theology of discipline.” Below are some of his conclusions that I thought everyone out there in the blogosphere might benefit from, especially you parents. He gave me his permission.]"Let me first preface all of this by saying that we (my wife Kelly and I) are not perfect. We do make mistakes, but I can honestly say that neither of us have ever practiced corporeal punishment while angry. If ever I am angry or overly frustrated with Cana (our 2-year old daughter) for something she has done, we use time out. In fact, time out is the primary form of punishment and discipline that we use. We do believe, however, that there are some situations that call for corporeal punishment. We are also not necessarily criticizing other views. But this is the one we have chosen as we have sought God on it."We have chosen this view not just because it works b

Here are a few questions for Dr. Laura Schlessinger from Humanists of Utah– piss-poor because anyone with a respectable understanding of theology would know how to spin webs of rationalization around such things and turn them into positive virtues, or else would know how to discount them with strained explications about ‘fulfilled law’, or else would appeal to ‘non-literal-ness’ or to ‘it’s a parable’ or to “the Israelites needed different rules but don’t go thinking that this means God changed his mind’ or to … I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? …. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians

Christians are expected to swallow all sorts of nonsense about the existence of supernatural entities, beliefs about the natural world which have repeatedly been falsified, and assorted logical contradictions. The rest of us are expected to keep our criticism to ourselves in the interest of respect or tolerance (yes, to point out someone's religiously-motivated intolerance is regularly considered intolerant). And yet, withholding criticism of certain irrational beliefs imperils us all.In a recent column for The State News, John Bice, author of A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America, points out that belief in a "second coming" and the accompanying end times theology is just such a dangerous belief.In fairness to the many Christians who have managed to retain some shred of sanity, I will distinguish between those who passively believe that Jesus will someday return and those who think such a return is imminent and that they should do something to speed it up. The former is simp

Thanks to Sandra at Concerned Tennessee Citizens, I learned this latest news from the National Iranian American Council:President Bush announced today that he has authorized US forces in Iraq to confront Iran militarily. "I have authorized our military commanders in Iraq to confront Tehran's murderous activities," Bush said in a speech to US war veterans in Reno. Simultaneously, US forces raided a hotel in Baghdad and detained ten Iranians who according to a U.S.-funded radio station included members of an Iranian negotiation team.This move comes amidst a campaign by the White House to escalate the rhetorical war between Washington and Tehran, in which the President has taken concerted new steps toward war. This flurry of rhetoric has largely rung hollow in the halls of Congress, as members are away for summer recess. While Congress has been gone, the harshness and frequency of the rhetoric from both sides has steadily increased. Last week the Bush administration announced its intenti

I am sure I change everyday. Recently I have found two instances that prove this mutability. 1) I used to be Karl Barth, now I am: Paul Tillich Which theologian are you?created with QuizFarm.com I also use to be an INTP, but now: Cha-cha-cha-changes. . .

Do you really know your theology? The 3rd man in history to walk on water:The 1st one was Christ... The 2nd one was the apostle, Peter... Then there was this guy, Jose..

Welcome to Conversations with Bob! Here is Bob's latest!John, Nice Post. We have dealt with world and national problems the Presbyterian way. You know the Presbyterian way to solve social problems don’t you? We write a report about it! Seriously, we clearly agree on ecology, global warming, the sinful use of resources while ignoring the needs of the poor and teen pregnancy. We also agree on our reaction to politicians saying what great Christians they are. I do want policies that agree with Biblical ideals but think such policies can come from a principled non-Christian. Wasn’t it Luther who said that he would rather have a just Turk as a ruler rather than an unjust Christian? If I understand what you say about theology, ideology and reinterpretation I think we disagree. I’m all for changing theology so that it matches the Bible. If Calvin got something wrong I am willing to say so. And yes, I do look at the whole Bible through the lens, (thank you for the word flyc

On Tuesday a small Cohort, is going to meet up at 8.00 PM at Cocina Superior (Brookwood Mall) to talk Theology. If you are in the area, you are invited. Pipes/cigars are optional. Though you will be in the cool club if you have a long stemmed pipe. This will be the second ever Birmingham Theology on Tap, as far as I can tell. It all started when Michail Lewis hosted a wonderful event like this a couple weeks ago at a Worship Conference his church sponsored. People like Jake over in Atlanta have been doing these things for some time. We will be discussing this quote: “. . . if the truth is that God doesn’t play favorites, if the truth is that God is not a racist, if the truth is that land theft and slave labor are wrong even (especially!) when done by people who call themselves Christians, if the truth is that all human beings are created in the image of God and deserve to be treated with equal dignity, even sanctity - then we must face the injustices of our past and seek j

The Faith and Theology blog has been around for a while but I thought it would be good to highlight a section that Benjamin Myers has included called: theology for beginners.  It’s a collection of articles and essays that address a whole load of theological issues under the headings of faith, gospel, god, creation, salvation, community and end.  Well worth a look.

Stellar Theology and Masonic AstronomySpringer | ISBN 1585092037 | 2002-06 | PDF | 268 pages | 2.38 MBThis incredibly detailed book reveals the hidden meanings behind occult signs and symbols from ancient times, found in what should be termed stellar theology, and then carried over into our modern world. Also reveals how Freemasonry is connected to Judaism, Christianity and the Bible. Lastly, it shows what the ancients knew about astronomy and how it became incorporated into the various religions of the world. Brown explores the world's legends, emblems and symbols and how they were all connected to ancient astronomical systems. Highly sought after, now back in print.Download : Click here to download

It was nice to hear from a colleague of mine (we both served congregations in Utica Presbtery), Bob Campbell. Bob now pastors a church in Pennsylvania. Utica Presbytery was a moderate to liberal presbytery, I would guess, at that time. Bob spoke eloquently and with style on behalf of the evangelical voice there. While now and then we found ourselves voting on different sides of an issue, I was impressed that Bob knew what it meant to be a "colleague in ministry." I will leave this up for now, then respond later. John,You may or may not remember me. We were fellow members of Utica Presbytery back in the ‘90’s. I was at Oneida 1st when you were at Lowville. I’ve read your letters on Presbyweb over the past few years. Maybe you have read mine too. Actually I was thinking about you last night, about sending you an email. Imagine my surprise today when I found a link to your blog in a nasty letter on the Layman’s webpage. So, first a few comments on things you said i

Where do you start thinking theologically? What path is the best way to begin thinking about God? In First Theology, Vanhoozer contends that "when it comes to doing theology, God must be our first thought, Scripture our second thought, and hermeneutics our third and last thought" (9).This might strike you as odd. Why isn't God our first and last thought? Why is hermeneutics our third and last thought? How does this work itself out practically? Vanhoozer admits that "matters are not really so simple, nor so linear. Doing theology involves all three thoughts, together and at once" (9). To the end of explaining this, he says his book is "a plea for being hermeneutical about theology, and for being theological about hermeneutics. To be precise: it is an argument for the importance of treating the questions of God, Scripture and hermeneutics as one problem" (9). This is what he calls First Theology. For him, these things necessarily go together.But doesn't this lead to a hermeneutical sp

The Secular Coalition for America has issued an excellent press release (which I am reproducing in its entirety below) pointing out what is at stake with the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. This is the same issue they recently took up by asking us to e-mail President Bush to urge him not to veto this bill. What I really like about this press release is how it frames the issue as Bush imposing his theology on all Americans by impeding medical research that could benefit us all. I believe that this is an accurate and terrifying characterization.“It is Cruel for the President’s Theology to Influence Medical Research”President Bush: Sign the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act - Do not Impede Medical ResearchStatement by Secular Coalition for America Director Lori Lipman BrownWashington, DC – June 7, 2007 -- The Secular Coalition for America strongly urges President Bush to sign the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (S.5), which passed the House today. Medical experts agree tha

I was pleased to find this article on the More Light Presbyterians web page. Dr. William Stacy Johnson of my old school, Princeton Theological Seminary, has published a book in support of gay marriage! The book is entitled, A Time to Embrace: Same Gender Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics. Read the publisher's description here and download a study guide here.Dr. Johnson served on the recent Theological Task Force. I wrote an article regarding their recommendations to the last General Assembly. I didn't like them. I wanted the GA then (and I still want) to remove what I believe are prejudicial and discriminatory policies. However, I did admire the the views of the individual task force members and their willingness to come to some sort of unanimous decision. I am pleased that some of the members, like Johnson, are now coming out with their convictions.To get an idea of Johnson's viewpoint, the Presbyterian Outlook published an article in 2005. If you click the

:: HAR GUD HUMOR? frågar Mackan Anderson, författare till boken Jakten på det försvunna skrattet. Mackan Anderson är stand-up sedan 2000 med Comedy Zone som en av sina plattformar, och som för några dar sen gästades av Jason Clark i seminarier om typ/vår teologi och Guds humor. Ricky Gervais om Bibelns skapelseberättelse var en av video-(09:57)-illustrationerna:REFLEKTION - Jason Clarks [seminarier] handlade om relationen mellan Humor och Tro och det jag bär med mig därifrån är egentligen tanken om humorn som en säkerhetsventil mot fanatism och fundamentalism, både religiös och ateistisk, skriver Mackan Anderson på Tro & Tänk. M.a.o. vi behöver mera humor än nånsin! eller hur? Technorati tags: Ricky GervaisJason ClarkComedy ZoneAndra bloggar om: Comedy Zone, Mackan Anderson

There are many Catholics who'd like to know their faith better, but don't know where to begin. Perhaps you are one of them. Well, I can't tell you where to begin, but perhaps I can make some sense of what it means to have a general theological education.Theology, as it's done today, is divided into four areas: biblical, historical, dogmatic/systematic, and moral. Each of these areas are divided into small, more specialized areas. And up in the ivory tower, these sub-areas are divided further, into sub-sub areas, and then into sub-atomic-sub-sub areas, until it becomes almost pointless.At any rate, if you understand how the four basic areas are divided, you should be able to see which areas you know something about and which areas that need a little help.Biblical theology is the easiest because the Bible itself provides the divisions. First, you have the OT and the NT. (Perhaps I didn't need to say that, but one never knows.) The OT is divided into four basic sections: the P

I want to offer a plug for Dr. Patricia Williams' new book: Quakerism: A Theology for Our Time. It is just being published as we speak and she may have copies for us at the conference. You will also be able to order a copy from the publisher. I will offer information about that when I get it. Truthfully, I don't know too much about the Quaker (Friends) tradition, so I am excited to hear more about it when she visits Elizabethton next week. Here is an outline and the introduction to her book:Table of Contents 1. Background Part 1: The Stable Core: The Light Within2.Theology Considering the Light 3. Worship: Experiencing the Light4. Decisions: uniting in the Light 5. Testimonies: Living in the Light Part 2: Scripture: The Challenge of Rational Criticism6. The Fall of Adam and Eve 7. Salvation 8. The Authority of Scripture9. Universalism Part 3. Science: The Encounter with Empirical Knowledge 10. Science in the Light 11. Origins 12. Human Nature 13. A Theology for Our Time

Az aranytorkú ír énekesnőnek tavaly decemberben megszületett Yeshua nevű kisfia.Júniusban pedig megjelenik egy dupla albuma, melynek mindkét CD-jén ugyanazok a dalok hallhatók: az egyiken, a Dublini felvételeken akusztikus, a másikon, a Londoni felvételeken elektronikus változatban.A dalok:01. Jeremiah02. We People Who Are Darker Than Blue03. Psalm 130 (Out Of The Dephts)04. Song Of Songs (Dark I Am Yet Lovely)05. Isaiah (If You Had A Vineyard)06. Job (Watcher Of Men)07. Psalm 3308. Samuel (The Glory OF Jah)09. Psalm 91 (Whomsoever Dwells)10. Psalm 137 (Rivers Of Babylon)11. Hosanna Filo DavidTömörítés/Bitrate: 256 kb/s Letöltés/DownloadJelszó/Password: levente

I returned to school as a psychology major in February 2006. Since I was going to a Christian university I had to take a lot of theology electives. As many of my friends know, I fell in love with my theology courses and formally switched from psychology to theology this summer. The upshot of this is that I have been taking theology courses (or courses closely related to theology) non-stop since February 2006. I love the courses, but sometimes it’s easy to fall so in love with the different philosophies and concepts that we fall out of love with the One Who we are studying for. I have done school for 14 months straight (except for a brief break around Christmas time) and I must say that I have loved my classes. One thing that I have not loved, though, is how much my classes have cut into my personal devotion time. Sure, my classes are teaching me about God, but I’ve never yet seen a debate on Calvinism versus Arminianism help a person when they’re hurting. This isn&rsq

See also:Meditation on Matthew 5:4Meditation on Matthew 5:5"How honored are those who hunger and thirst for justice, because they will become full."+ + +The world upside down. To refuse to use force may be one thing, but what is this teaching? What does it mean to be full? A wave of questions as the beatitudes invite us into a world made strange, and call us to imagine things otherwise. Hunger and thirst, or what we might call desire, is for something seen as good but not yet attained. If one possesses what one desires, the desire is satiated. Certainly Chrysostom is right to say that hunger and thirst, typically conceived, can easily slide into avarice, into greed. Conventionally, our honor runs in this direction toward those who have acquired power, status, and achievement (and in late capitalism money is often used to measure). So, we are here shown a world upside down, a world where the honored are those who hunger and thirst for justice, who desire to give each their due. Is this

Would you believe I forgot one of your posts yesterday? I'm surprised there wasn't a riot. Anyway, on Tuesday night I was speaking to the young people about why we need the Church, and I meant to give you my notes on Wednesday. So here they are. This isn't a transcript like my gargantuan post on the Old Testament. It's very short, and I'm even going to make you look up the biblical references yourself, sort of like those John 3:16 signs at baseball games.Oh, and by the way, the blog's going on hiatus. Now, before you all beat your heads against your monitors wondering where you'll get your daily sf+religion, let me hastily add that it's only going on hiatus until Tuesday because I'm going to be out of town this weekend. On Tuesday, I'll be back and badder than ever.Read and discuss Catechism 845, 846.It must be understood that Christ did not come only to teach a moral message. And Christ did not come only to die for sins. He came to save men, and he prepared an organ

This theology question is kind of short, but would love your thoughts. I am not going to tell you which one I believe because that is not important. And really the outcome is not important, it does not effect salvation. This is just thoughts on God’s grace. Common grace is defined as grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation. This type of grace is not restricted to just believers, but to all people. Common grace DOES NOT SAVE. Saving grace, saves. In this household one person believes that because of God’s common grace, God does sometimes answer the prayers of unbelievers. Each of us breathing, is considered common grace. All Science and technology carried out by non-Christians is a result of common grace. Rain for fruitful crops is a result of common grace. He has no obligation to answer them, but demonstrating his mercy and goodness (Ps 145:9; Luke 6:35) But let me reiterate, common grace does not save. Another per

Churches Misrepresent Christianity By Supporting Illegals That Break Laws And Deny Authority Of Both God And ManClergy members railed against federal immigration officials Sunday at an evening service in Des Moines called to protest last week's raid at six Swift & Co. meatpacking plants on the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe, considered sacred by many of the thousands arrested.To do it on one of the most celebrated holy days, the Lady of Guadalupe, smacks of indifference that is chilling," said Jim McCarthy as he read a statement from Bishop Alan Scarfe of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. "We know better than this."About 200 people turned out at Grace United Methodist Church to hold candles and pray in a show of solidarity for detainees and their families.Read Article... ***What Churches Have Seemed To Have ForgottenAs Christmas approaches, it is time to reflect the teachings of Christianity in view of our government's recent actions of arresting illegal immigrants in Iowa and throughout t

This post was written by guest blogger (formerly one who blogged at NakedChurch), Andrew Zirschky. If you think your church is the only place that good theology has been parked then you haven't checked out the World Wide Web. There you'll discover that Christian theology has been sidelined by dozens of "parked" domains owned by corporations bent on making a buck. These folks scoop up unregistered domains and then offer them for sale at outrageous prices in hopes of luring in desperate buyers. Meanwhile, venerable Christian theology and doctrines are out of reach: www.harmartiology.com yields results for smoked and honey baked hamswww.eucharist.comwww.eucharist.orgwww.soteriology.comwww.atonement.com and .netwww.creation.com -- just another media companywww.ecclesiology.comwww.practicaltheology.comwww.systematictheology.com yields opportunities to rent apartmentswww.grace.com yields a chemical materials companywww.grace.net gives me a chance to buy airline ticketsthe people at www.e

Brian T. Murphy, of Briarwood Christian High School fame, writes a post that is suprisingly deep, though he tries his best to act like he isn’t. He talks about the community that is established on Satan’s Birthday. Amen?

If you're going to be in Atlanta around January 30 - February 1, I'd encourage you to consider coming to the Columbia Theological Seminary January Seminar entitled "Mainline Emergent/s: Conversations in Theology, Practice and Hope." It's going to be a great time, and it's going to be awesome to be able to spend a few days with some good friends, including Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Tony Jones, Diana Butler Bass, Karen Ward, Nanette Sawyer, Troy Bronsink, Saranell and Tim Hartman, Jake Myers, Jay Voorhees, Holly Rankin Zaher and others.Short Description: How can mainline congregations be a part of - and inform the conversation about - the emergent church? Join us for stimulating conversations among emergent/s and mainline leaders, as we discuss the church's mission, practice and hope in God's world.It should be a great few days. If you want to check out the entire brochure, click here. If you're around Atlanta and can attend, it would be great to see you there.

For those into street/tartan theology- join a nationwide conversation around dreams/real action with a Christ who is active transforming our land right now! what's all the fuss about - dreams n visions and the land??...

See also:Meditation on Matthew 5:3Meditation on Matthew 5:4"How honored are those who do not use force,for they shall receive the earth."+ + +Lord, being gentle, refusing force or manipulation, is terrifying. I'm quite convinced that I can take, I'm good at it, but waiting to receive requires a level of vulnerability which I'm not always prepared to render. What if I wait in vain? I suppose I doubt sometimes that you provide. I doubt that things can operate as you suppose, which is the same as doubting that this is in fact your world. Do you not know that we live in a dangerous violent world which might just roll over me if I let down my guard? I know it a foolish question. You know the violence personally. All violence is personal to you. I may be imprisoned behind my walls which I construct as a show of strength in a hostile world, but at least I am safe. Is this really safety? Being locked behind an impenetrable wall sounds more like death than safety. But a freedom, true freedom

I.   The biblical people of Israel, though related, should not be reduced to nor equated with the modern nation-state of Israel.II. Though there are many horrrific genocides in human history (Stalin, The Khmer Rouge, Julius Caesar's campaign against the Gauls), the Holocaust can be taken to be theologically more significant precisely for its attempt to exterminate God's covenant people wherever they be found.It should be clear why the first point is important, if not, read David D. Kirkpatrick's disheartening story, For Evangelicals, Supporting Israel Is "God's Foreign Policy', from NYTimes.com: "Many conservative Christians say they believe that the president's support for Israel fulfills a biblical injunction to protect the Jewish state, which some of them think will play a pivotal role in the second coming. Many on the left, in turn, fear that such theology may influence decisions the administration makes toward Israel and the Middle East."[America's Young Theolo

I had a dream last night. I only remember the part where my mother walked in the house with a great deal of excitement wanting to show us what she had wrapped in a cloth. "I have an opossum," she proclaimed. In the dream, I didn't get to see the animal, but I assume it must have been a young opossum given its size.I'm not sure what a dream like that means. I don't give a lot of credibility to dreams or their supposed meanings. I've only had one dream for which I've found some plausible explanation thanks in part to Freud. In that dream, all of my teeth were falling out in shards. They say that has something to do with feeling powerless and it came at a time when I'd just been living at L'Arche for a couple months. I suppose I felt somewhat powerless to be in a living situation where the way things operate didn't have much room for input and wasn't flexible enough to take into account the individuality of those living there.I ate dinner last night with my roommate from my fresh

Grace, Gratitude, Love...of the three I suppose I talk the least about grace, though it is assumed in most everything I say on the other two. Thanksgiving has passed, though one would think it was months ago given how fleeting my focus on gratitude was. I was reviewing Karl Barth's, Church Dogmatics, volume III.2, for my weekly meeting with my advisor, John Webster, and came across the following line, "Only as he thanks God does man fulfill his true being." I decided that I needed to focus again on gratitude, which is nothing more than an awareness of God's grace.I decided to go to my office early this morning while it was still dark outside. I was excited about the pages before me and the rhythm I've recently developed as far as reading goes. I was thankful for Orion's belt visible in the dark morning sky, and grateful for a conversation had the evening before. "As man thanks God and is man in so doing, he does no more and no less than all other creatures do with their life. He do

If one looks at the percentage of the history of the United States that have been spent at war or is aware of our current disillusionment with our current war, then it makes sense why I'm frequently asked about my commitment to Christian non-violence. I've promised to post a set of responses to questions I've received, a promise I intend to keep, but have not yet fulfilled. Elsewhere I have suggested that the killed or be killed scenarios that people often rhetorically paint may be the result of a limited imagination. Here, I'd like to point briefly to something that Mahatma Gandhi and a UK graffiti artist, Paul Curtis aka Moose, have in common which might prove suggestive for Christian imagination.Everyone should be familiar with Gandhi's use of non-cooperation and peaceful resistance in his pursuit of justice. Like the Christian non-violence I support, Gandhi's ideas were anything but passive. He called for a nationwide protest against the Rowlatt Acts. This included the call t

Ok since there was some interest in what I am studying in my theology class and everyone was nice last time, I will toss out another one that came up for debate in class. Did Jesus descend into hell? (after he died on the cross) Now before I go into what the bible says and how Wayne Grudem (the author) interprets it. Let me say I grew up with this belief. I could not really tell you why I held this belief, but it was just something I had heard growing up. But now I do not believe this to be true. Where did the idea that Jesus descending into hell come from? Well the Apostle's Creed states "He descended into hell". The Apostles' Creed reads: "I believe in God, the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth;and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,born of the Virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, dead and buried.He descended into hell.The third day he rose again from the dead.He ascended into hea

Ok since there was some interest in what I am studying in my theology class and everyone was nice last time, I will toss out another one that came up for debate in class. Did Jesus descend into hell? (after he died on the cross) Now before I go into what the bible says and how Wayne Grudem (the author) interprets it. Let me say I grew up (as a Southern Baptist gal) with this belief. I could not really tell you why I held this belief, but it was just something I had heard growing up. But now I do not believe this to be true. Where did the idea that Jesus descending into hell come from? Well the Apostle's Creed states "He descended into hell" (this is where the idea came from). The Apostles' Creed reads: "I believe in God, the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth;and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,born of the Virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, dead and buried.He descended into hell