Category Archives: Theology
A Path Through the Trees
A path through the trees at Heritage Park yesterday morning. Here is a reflection on trees from my friend Jacci Turner. Trees are a means of revelation. I am that oak, I thought. I feel worn out, battle weary. My … Continue reading
The God of Hope and the End of the World
The God of Hope and the End of the World By John Polkinghorne This is a book on eschatology, a part of theology that examines the end of time or the end of history. The author looks at two ends: … Continue reading
The Spiritual Principles of the United Methodist Church 1
There is a document called The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. I wrote once about it here. I wish there were a comparable document on The Spiritual Principles of the United Methodist Church. The best place, I believe, … Continue reading
The First Step of Love
These are the stairs to the balcony at church. With cold and snow lately, I have taken to walking at work — which means I can include stair climbing in daily walks. Verticality! I’ve been chewing on Paul’s sketch of … Continue reading
What God Does For Our Souls
They needed a male volunteer at the homeless shelter for the midnight to 8 a.m. shift so I helped out. Got a couple hours sleep. This scripture was on the wall in the volunteer room. It occurred to me that … Continue reading
Death and Afterlife
Death and Afterlife: A Theological Introduction. By Terence Nichols (2010). Nichols writes from an orthodox Catholic perspective. He surveys the theme of death and afterlife in ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and the longer Christian tradition — Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. … Continue reading
Toxic Religion
Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:12) This verse is much in my mind today. The Pharisees and Sadducees were … Continue reading
Deeper Energies
Bruce Epperly on the healings of Jesus in the Gospels: In contrast to [John Dominic] Crossan’s negative understanding of Jesus’ power to heal bodies as well as spirits and relationships, I believe we need to take a new look at … Continue reading
A Deeper Resonance
From an article by British evangelical leader Steve Chalke, who has come out in support of same sex marriage: William Wilberforce and friends were condemned by huge swathes of the Church as they fought for abolition. They were dismissed as … Continue reading
Ron Allen On Evil
From his book, A Faith Of Your Own: A God who is completely loving, powerful, and just would eliminate evil. The continued presence of evil means that God is limited in one of those three attributes… [I believe] that God … Continue reading
Pseudo-Dionysius on Light
A quarter moon was lovely this morning in the dark through breaks in the cloud cover, and now there is sunlight. I love to see the sun! In honor of sunlight, here is a quote about light from Pseudo-Dionysius: The … Continue reading
First Stage of the Mystical Life
Today’s walk took me through the lovely campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Appropriately, I was chewing on a quote from Dominican John Tauler, his first stage of the mystical life. It involves reflecting on the wondrous tokens of love … Continue reading
Contemplate the Holy Trinity
This caught my attention from the sermons of John Tauler. If you wish to contemplate the Holy Trinity within you, keep these three points in mind. First, keep God alone before your eyes, His honor, and not your own. Secondly, … Continue reading
The Porta Potty Man
I woke early Sunday and got up to walk. It was 21 degrees (F), with clear skies. I dressed for warmth and drove to St John’s Lutheran on North Adrian Highway. The Kiwanis Trail goes behind their property. I parked … Continue reading
A Shadow Side of Freedom
Silence is a good response to the mass shooting in Connecticut. Silence and contrition. But writing about it can be useful too. I have been writing. I have also been reading responses to the shooting and the renewed urge people … Continue reading
Interplay of Browns
This was the view out behind the parking lot at Bixby Hospital today. I like the interplay of browns. This quote from John Tauler is in my mind today too: Beloved, return all things to the ground of Being from … Continue reading
Tauler On the Trinity
Spiritual reading in Advent has included the Book of Isaiah (mostly finished), Quakers George Fox and Isaac Pennington, and now sermons of John Tauler, a 14th century German mystic. His description of the Trinity caught my attention, particularly the part … Continue reading
Praise God In the Bad Times and the Good
Elmer Ewing advocates praising God in all circumstances of life, the bad times along with the good: Whatever the circumstances of our lives, we are called to praise God—even when calamity strikes. But to be able to praise God in … Continue reading
Hell and Hurricanes
A couple of blog posts of interest. First, Ryan Dueck on the problem of what kind of God would send people to hell: What I often feel like saying about midway through one of these articles/podcasts [about hell] is this: … Continue reading
John T. McNeill on the Human Soul
There was a graveside service today for a longtime member of the church. Oakwood Cemetery is the loveliest around. Later I was reflecting on John McNeil’s description of the human soul: “The soul is the essence of human personality. It … Continue reading
