Wisdom and Righteousness and Justice
July 7, 2017
In the days leading up to The Justice Conference, I happened to be reading about King Solomon. I’m following a chronological reading plan right now, so I read both accounts of God asking Solomon what he wished for. In 1 Kings 3, Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge the people, to discern between […]
Laborers, Equity, and Golf Handicaps – The Justice Conference 2017
July 26, 2017
Christena Cleveland is a social psychologist, theologian, author and professor at Duke Divinity School. Her talk was one of the best talks on justice that I’ve ever heard. I highly recommend listening to the talk in its entirety here. Her text was Matthew 20:1-16, The Parable of the Laborers. This parable is book-ended by “The […]
Fact Checking
January 23, 2017
With so much “Fake News” being bandied about, how do we know what to believe? I just finished reading the recently published “The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking.” Here are some excerpts that I found helpful. Primary sources – the sources closest to the origin of the fact. Such sources are to be preferred over other […]
Book Review – Theistic Evolution, Intro #2
February 24, 2018
Biblical and Theological Introduction Wayne Grudem writes the second Intro, providing insight into the perspective of the book’s authors on the Biblical and Theological issues. He defines the debate in which the book engages as primarily about the proper interpretation of Genesis, and how various “improper” interpretations of the Biblical Creation accounts impact Christian doctrines. […]
Book Review – Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique
January 27, 2018
Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique Ed. Moreland/Meyer/Shaw/Gauger/Grudem Crossway Scientific and Philosophical Introduction Notes: *Due to the size of this book, I will be reviewing each section or chapter as I go. *Much of the contents of Meyer’s essay is repeated in his section on Intelligent Design (ID) in the book Four Views […]
Rainbows, Promises, and DREAMERS
September 4, 2017
It is inhumane to abandon DREAMERS. Trump’s rollback of DACA is a humanitarian tragedy of epic proportion. The beneficiaries of DACA are undocumented children who were brought into this country by undocumented parents. As a result of Barack Obama’s executive order in 2012, they were able to apply and be screened for work permits that […]
Statement Regarding #UniteTheRight Charlottesville Rally
August 12, 2017
I am white. I am a Christian. I condemn the white supremacist, racist, neo-nazi, and white nationalist ideologies represented by the #UniteTheRight rally that occurred in Charlottesville on August 12, as well as the march the previous night. I condemn the President’s failure to name the evil. I believe his failure to do so sends […]
Christian Response to Refugees and Immigrants
February 2, 2017
***Updated 2/8/17 to include “100 Evangelical Leaders Denounce Trump’s Ban*** Reported at CNN, this letter/ad will appear in WaPO. Here is what Christian leaders are saying about refugees and immigrants. Click on the links to read more. We believe that our nation can continue to be both compassionate and secure. – Joint letter, CCCU, World […]
Unexpected Gifts
December 17, 2017
Unexpected yet thoughtful gifts are the best. Many years ago, during a particularly difficult Christmas season, we received a package from my husband’s brother and sister-in-law. Upon opening it, we found a set of hand-stenciled and hand-made placemats, a Christmasy tablecloth, and 3 hand-made, wooden Christmas trees. I immediately set the table with them, marveling […]
Book Review – Building A Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity
September 27, 2017
Last weekend there was a hullabaloo of a Roman Catholic nature in the Twittersphere. Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest, was disinvited from three speaking engagements at Catholic organizations due to agitation by extreme right Catholic groups against him and his recent book, Building A Bridge. Rob George, a conservative Catholic professor (Yale), while supporting […]