Spirituality blog I wrote
I started college as a philosophy major. If I was to be ordained, it was recommended that I have a background in philosophy before studying theology. It did help me to learn to think more critically. However, one of the first courses I took in college was in theater arts. … Read More »A Life of Meaning
I had to be very young, perhaps three or four years old. My mother taught me the gestures of what’s called “the sign of the cross” and to say the words, “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” I liked ghosts. I grew up with Casper the Friendly Ghost, so I knew… Read More »Divine Relationships
What does it mean to experience the Divine? That’s a very difficult question to answer. The experience of the Holy One is deeply personal. When the experience is new for someone, it can be confusing. But over time, it becomes familiar. Spiritual writers over the ages have used various images… Read More »The Experience of God
Each Sunday morning, a friend of mine goes hiking. It’s usually something he does alone. Taken while on his hike, he’ll post a picture on social media of something that caught his eye. The caption is always the same. It’s a one-word exclamation. Church. For decades, I’ve facilitated workshops on… Read More »Church
The Christian Church in the United States is dying. That should come as no surprise to anyone. It happened in Western Europe and Australia after World War II. It happened in Canada and Ireland as well. Now it’s happening here. Attendance at churches of every kind is declining. Yes, even… Read More »The Christian Church is Dying
I first read about this when I was a grad student. Theoretically, it made sense to me, but I hadn’t experienced it. I tried to imagine what it would like. Perhaps I got a glimmer of the experience, but not much more than that. Today, well….let’s just say I’m living… Read More »Transitions
I’m spending eight days at the Benedictine Monastery of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri. I’ve been friends with this community for over twenty years. As I begin this time of spiritual retreat, I thought I’d share about what I do while on retreat and why I am… Read More »Time with the Holy One: Day One of Retreat
1969: I have some clear memories of that year. I was in my adolescence. I didn’t understand my sexuality. I don’t think I ever heard the word “gay” used to refer to sexual orientation. I didn’t know anything about sexual orientation. All I knew for sure was that I didn’t… Read More »June: Pride Month