Featured Posts
Dr TK Dunn on the Importance of the Old Testament
This is an extract from a longer interview, which I will also embed. I think Dr. Dunn has some valuable comments on the relationship of scripture and what it means for our study. And here’s the full interview from which that was extracted.
Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
All Posts
Reading Psalm 100 Out Loud
One of my Bible study methods, though most important for devotional reading, is to read a passage aloud. Since the lectionary Psalm for this week is Psalm 100, which is very short, I thought I’d read it aloud in a number of versions and then write my subjective impressions. I chose to read it from…
Christ the King Sunday – Preliminary Thoughts
My pastor preached from the gospel lesson, Matthew 25:31-46 this past Sunday, and reminded me of something important. Though this is called a parable, it is really much more of an apocalyptic vision, presenting the scene of judgment day. Besides the differences in the way one would understand a vision and a parable, this provides…
Coolness and Complacency
OK, I’m going to try for three short notes at a time. In this case I’m helped by Dave Warnock, who already wrote on the topic. It seems that Adrian Warnock doesn’t like people to be “cool-headed” about the atonement. He says: To be honest, when I heard this book was going to be cool-headed…
Theodicy and Politics
This is another brief thought. As I was thinking about politics I also considered some of the questions that come up in theodicy. In politics, many of us look for protection from risk, from the consequences of our own actions. It seems to me that in theodicy many people prevent “consequences” as an example of…
Quick Thoughts on the Economy
As an exercise in brevity, some things that occurred to me while watching political TV and reading the blogs: An economic expert is one who provides the arguments that allow me to get what I want. An incompetent economist is one that says I can’t have it. The entire argument is based on need. The…
Headline Bias
While I’m at talking about the auto industry, how about the following headline from MNSBC.com: Republicans to Detroit: Drop dead Biased? Read the article yourself and see if that’s what the Republicans in question were saying.
Republican Role: Defend Capitalism?
In an MSNBC story today Senator Jeff Sessions, from our neighboring state of Alabama is quoted: Fellow Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions also opposes helping the auto industry. “Once we cross the divide from financial institutions to individual corporations, truly, where would you draw the line?” Just a second here. Line? What line? Look in…
One Talent Christians
Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, especially 24-27. Partially cross-posted from Jody’s Devotionals. I’m interested in knowing just what meets God’s disapproval. We all have our ideas on this, which often involve truly despicable and perverted behavior according to our cultural standards. But sometimes the Bible will shock us and make us stop and think. This thought was…
Christian Carnival #250 Is Posted
. . . at Brain Cramps for God.
Measuring Media Fairness
A corollary of the fundamental idea of a free market is caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. I look at that from a slightly different angle than usual, not as an indictment of the free market, but rather as a statement of its driving force–the decisions of buyers. As a buyer, you vote every day…
Trashing Bible Translations is Trivial
. . . not to mention easy. In the just completed presidential election here in the U. S., were I to list all of the reasons why I might not vote for the candidate for whom I eventually did vote, the list would be fairly long, and might convince someone I thought that candidate was…
Matthew 25:14-30 (The Talents)
14[The kingdom of heaven] is like a man going on a journey. He calls his slaves and hands his property over to them. 15To one he gives five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his strength. Then he goes on his journey. As soon 16as he goes, the…
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
1Brothers and sisters, you don’t need me to write to you about the times and the seasons, 2because you yourselves are well aware that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. 3When people are saying “Peace and security,” then destruction will come on them suddenly, like labor pains on…
Questions on Judges 4:1-7
Here are some questions that came to mind as I studied Judges 4:1-7. 1. Why does the lectionary reading end where it does? Would the passage bring a different lesson if one read on to where Barak requires Deborah to accompany him before he’ll go? 2. Does this passage provide a universal justification for women…
What Did They Cry?
In Judges 4:1-7, when the Israelites cried out, what did they have to say? With Psalm 123 included along with Judges 4:1-7 in Proper 28 / Ordinary 33 / Pentecost +27, I think we have an interesting possibility for preaching on prayer in trouble. My basic starting point would be to suggest to the congregation…
Judges 4:1-7
1After Ehud died, the Israelites again did what was evil in YHWH’s eyes. 2So YHWH sold them into the hand of Jabin, King of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations. 3Then the Israelites cried out to YHWH, because Jabin had 900 iron…
3rd Sunday of Easter 2005
Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Peter opens the proclamation of the gospel. Psalm 16 Celebration of deliverance. 1 Peter 1:3-9 The outcome of the testing of our faith. John 20:19-31 Jesus appears to the disciples and the doubting of Thomas.
A Correct Prayer Attitude
Reading: Psalm 123 (From proper A28) Is there a correct attitude for prayer? Many people have rigid standards for how to pray, the type of language, the attitude one must have toward God, things that one must ask for–or not. Who must be addressed (Jesus, Father, Holy Spirit), and how much praise and thankfulness is…
Psalm 123 – Had Enough!
Psalm 123, Proper 28A/Ordinary 33A/Pentecost +27 November 16, 2008 (Note that I always use Text Week for my lectionary study) A song of ascents. 1To you we lift up our eyes,You who live in heaven.2As the eyes of slaves turn to the hand of their master,As the eyes of a maid looks to the hand…
7th Sunday in Easter, 2004
Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 97 Revelation. 22:12-21 (12-14, 16-17, 20-21) John 17:20-26
6th Sunday in Easter, 2004
Acts 16:9-15 Psalm 67 Revelation 21:10,22-22:5 John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9
4th Sunday of Easter 2004
Acts 9:36-43 Psalm 23 Revelation 7:9-17 John 10:22-30
3rd Sunday of Easter 2004
Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) Psalm 30 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-20
2nd Sunday of Easter, 2004
Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 118:14-29 or Psalm 150 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31