The reality for most of us in congregational or ministerial contexts is that things are not just complicated – they are complex.
All tagged theological reflection
Resemblance
By loving the way God loves and acting as God would act, our resemblance becomes so great that it leaves no doubt we are the children of God.
Moral Injury and the Power of Forgiveness
I want to delve into moral and spiritual injury, looking at ways that we as Christians, ministers, pastors, counselors, and chaplains can respond when we encounter it.
The Attitude of the Heart
I want to share with you how to become more available and aware of God’s presence in your life through his Spirit. It’s like connecting to a network where you need to know the password.
Pastoral Epistemology
I’m used to hearing epistemology used as a joke, but with all the conversations about truth, opinions versus justified beliefs, and general questions about what we know, epistemology seems suddenly and surprisingly relevant.
Did God Give Me COVID?
For the great dis-ease among us and in us may not be the pestilence itself, but the way we react to, ignore, and weaponize the suffering of others.
Reflection Roundup: Stormy Bank or the River?
Can anyone else relate to the image of crossing a river, standing on stones you’ve just thrown into the river from the comfort of the riverbank?
Pomegranates, Protestants, and Pictures
But are pomegranates and icons really on par with one another? After all, it is not like pomegranates were put in the temple to represent the image of God like Rublev’s icon of the hospitality of Abraham depicts the Trinity.
The Long, Slow Death of the Christian Peacemaker
As U.S. Christianity becomes increasingly polarized, those in the dip of the canyon between the two sides are being slowly bludgeoned to death by the rocks meant for the other side.
What Did Mary Know?
Making the meme circuit again this Christmas is a new classic that takes on the almost-30-year-old question: Mary, did you know?
Where Christmas Starts
The first lesson of Christmas is to keep showing up even when your miracle hasn’t.
The Miracle of Gratitude
Ingratitude doesn’t just cause you to miss the miracle; it also takes you further away from all that is good.
Follow That Van: A Lesson in Following Jesus
Concluding that our children had jumped the gun, deserted the plan, and were now heading away from us, we set out in hot pursuit.
Got Peace?
Peace is not the absence of conflict; it’s living in the presence of God in a restored relationship with him through Jesus Christ.
Carrying On in Troublesome Times
How do we carry on when we do not know whether or not today is simply a preface to a harder tomorrow?
The Theological School of My Living Room
My articulate and intellectual preparedness is challenged the moment my kids ask a pointed question like, “Do cats like to swim?”
Introducing the What We Really Think It Says Bible (Now in Imitation Leather)
Hello there. Have you ever tried to read the Bible and actually do what is says?
Free Will and Healing
The most painful thing we do is talk with husbands or wives whose marriages are not being healed.
I Am
We’re in over our heads; light spreads at too slow a pace for one step, it seems. We’re waiting; are you here?
The Blessing of Giving Up
What would you be willing to lay aside for the good of someone else? Would you be willing to give up your seat? Your lunch? Your comfort? Your time? Your money?