The contemporary debate among Christians today is whether or not the Bible should be taken literally. Many Evangelical Christians view the text as being without error and without requiring interpretation. From my perspective, there are problems with this approach. First, it glosses over the obvious contradictions in the Bible, like… Read More »The Bible as Metaphor and Symbol
I knew that the debate was scheduled. I saw articles about it in the news. I had no intention of watching it. But there I was: in front of the computer last evening viewing parts of the science versus creationism debate from a YouTube link. (I blame this on one… Read More »Literalism: Some Thoughts on Nye versus Ham
I spend most weekday evenings engaged in a familiar ritual: making dinner. I’m a slow cook. That doesn’t make me part of the slow food movement or anything like that. It just means that, try as a might, my work in the kitchen is slow. I’m only good at doing… Read More »The Muslim Who Called Jesus a Zealot
Book Review: Beyond the Lectionary A Year of Alternatives to the Revised Common Lectionary by the Rev. David Ackerman. C. 2013. Circle Books. ISBN-13: 978-1780998572. (Available in paper back or as an e-book.) If you’re a church go-er, you may have noticed that friends from other Christian denominations often hear… Read More »Book Review: Beyond the Lectionary A Year of Alternatives to the Revised Common Lectionary by the Rev. David Ackerman.
The question caught me by surprise. It’s not that I hadn’t thought that people would have this question. It’s just that after more than 30 years in ministry, no one had ever asked me this question. It was simple, straight-forward, and a bit unnerving. The question: why should I care… Read More »Why Care About the Bible?
For some time, there has been significant debate about whether the facts in the Bible are true. This debate has been framed in a variety of ways. In the early twentieth century, biblical scholars searched for evidence of the historical Jesus. School boards consider the merits of biblically based creationism… Read More »What Good Is Religion if the Facts Aren’t True?
As I read the news coverage over the weekend, I was struck by the attention given to May Day demonstrations throughout the United States. May 1 is International Workers Day. While May 1 doesn’t typically draw much attention in the United States, May Day is observed as Labor Day throughout… Read More »May Day, Immigration, and Social Justice
It was a beautiful old church. The dark wood reflected the colors streaming in through the bright stained glass windows. Perhaps thirty of us gathered for this Sunday morning service. The church could probably seat about 450 people. Looking around, it seemed as though I was probably the youngest in… Read More »Redemption from Unhealthy Theology