Conceived in bigotry and dedicated to the proposition that my tribe is holier than thine

“Conceived in bigotry and dedicated to the proposition that my tribe is holier than thine”. With deep apologies to President Lincoln, I fear this describes the practice of Christianity among White americans in the twenty-first century. It’s really painful to admit this. What is going on? Recently I visited a man wearing a T-shirt that … Read more

Good News or Fake News? Theology of the cross, or theology of glory?

Katelyn Beaty, a former editor of the self-styled “evangelical” publication Christianity Today, wrote a summary of a meeting at  Wheaton College in Illinois about whether their movement should distance themselves from the present (2018) leader of the Republican Party. They couldn’t figure it out. Maybe they should read the Barmen Declaration. It asks the question … Read more

State religion, ritual, and faith

Journalist Molly Worthen wrote an interesting piece for the New York Times headlined How to escape from Roy Moore’s evangelicalism.  She makes an interesting point about ritual and its effect on the human psyche, on my mind and yours. The habits we follow every day shape us as much as, or more than Sunday worship, even for … Read more

Conversations to open up the future in God’s realm – A sermon for First Parish of Newbiry

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you in the name of God, our creator, redeemer, and sustaining spirit. Amen. For the people of First Parish in Newbury. Conversations. Let’s have a conversation about conversations. Texts: Isaiah 7:10-16 Matthew 1:18-25 When I imagine God’s realm of peace, mercy, and justice, I imagine it’s buzzing with conversations. … Read more