Category Archives: Theology

Holy Saturday: A season in Sheol

I can hardly imagine the shock God felt, squeezing infinite love and creativity into the vulnerability of a human infancy. I am equally at a loss trying to imagine what happened in God when Jesus died. If you take seriously … Continue reading

Posted in Mysticism, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Between the calling and the blessing

If ever there was a week to hold the newsfeed in one hand and the Bible in the other, with your mind in your heart and your heart in God, this was it. Let’s see what the word of God … Continue reading

Posted in Justice, Love, Religion, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pray always. Don’t lose heart.

The story we heard from Genesis  a little bit ago is probably my favorite Jacob story, although that’s not saying much. Jacob is such a trickster, he’s just not my favorite guy in the bible. He does have some cool dreams; … Continue reading

Posted in Justice, Politics, racism, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Out of the mouths of babes …

Meditation for UNC Chapel World Communion Sunday October 4, 2015 When I was a kid sitting in church, my favorite thing was to find a puzzle in the Bible. Which usually meant trying to figure out the length of a … Continue reading

Posted in Parenting, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Improv (for) life, listening for justice

Whether we are facing personal conflict in our relationships, or leaning into the harder conversations of our society – like those around racial injustice and sexual identity – many of us struggle to listen to what needs hearing and speaking … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Pastoral Education, Justice, Politics, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Called to Unbelief

Sermon for Binkley Baptist Church: Psalm 85 * Romans 10:5-15 * Matthew 14:22-33 I had the pleasure this week of Bible study with some members of the Binkley Sermon Shapers group, and when we read the story of Peter and … Continue reading

Posted in Sermons, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The postmodern mystic: about time

Time is not the straight arrow we think it is, the physicists tell us. And this is old physics; Einstein era ideas. But I got a fresh view of the notion in an interview Krista Tippett did recently with physicist … Continue reading

Posted in Mysticism, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Feast of the Annunciation: And Mary Sang

Sermon for Wake Forest Baptist Church Feast of the Annunciation in the season of Lent Isaiah 7:10-14, Psalm 40, Luke 1:26-38 Spring in winter … winter in spring … the stormy dregs of winter fit our Lenten struggles. We don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Lenten reflection, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Losing whose religion?

Surf’s up on religious doubt. We’ve heard about millenials leaving the church in droves (although — trust me — young folk are not alone in disenchantment with organized religion), the spiritual-but-not-religious, the backlash against SBNRs, atheists holding Sunday go-to meetings, … Continue reading

Posted in Doubt, Religion, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Baker’s dozen: 13 things I learned in ’13

2013 was an amazing year for me, by my own happiness index if not the world’s. No, I did not get a job (though I tried, and I will.) No, I did not travel the world or make a shit-ton … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Pastoral Education, Love, Parenting, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments