Sir John Polkinghorne, the renowned particle physicist who, as a second career, became an Anglican priest, tells a story that’s very insightful. The members of his first parish weren’t sure if they would be able to understand sermons delivered by this very accomplished scientist. Dr. John Polkinghorne quickly changed that… Read More »The Truth about the Christmas Stories
There are times I think about growing up and how wonderful it was. When I was very young, I’d play for hours in my sandbox. As I got older, I’d go walking in the woods and play beside the creek. In time, I learned to drive and like most of… Read More »Healing Inner Pain
It is without a doubt that my favorite season of the Christian liturgical calendar is Advent. As someone drawn to the contemplative dimension of life, the four-week opportunity marked by hopeful anticipation touches my spirit deeply. This year, I’m inviting you to join me for a virtual Advent retreat. … Read More »Advent: A Spiritual Journey
Miami Beach, Florida: For about six years it was my home. Living there always meant that no matter how much work I was doing, I could feel like I was on vacation in just a few minutes. That’s because the beach was just a few minutes drive from my home.… Read More »A Larger Perspective on Life
“The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it!” That sounds like something from a bumper sticker. It’s a claim I find to be shocking whenever an Evangelical or Fundamentalist Christian makes. it. The statement reflects a belief that the Bible is the Word of God: words spoken by… Read More »The Bible: The Word of God? No.
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
Sometimes, most of us wonder about the quality of our lives. Are we satisfied with life? Are we happy? Is something missing? Could life be better? I suspect that when these questions are asked, like around birthdays or significant changes, we become aware of the ways that the lives we… Read More »The Perfect Life or the Happy Life?
In spring, my parent’s yard was a bright array of color. My mother had a bed with yellow and white daffodils. My father planted multi-colored tulips under maple trees. There were two colors of lilacs filling the air with their sweet smell, both white and pink dogwood framing a small… Read More »Diversity: Lessons from My Backyard
