This Side of the Pulpit » Entries tagged with "faith"
Repenting and Not Repenting and Still Repenting
On this coming Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (in the One Year lectionary), I ran across the following and had to share: But if repentance is too much for you, and you sin out of habit even when you do not want to, show humility like the publican ( cf. Luke 18:13): that is enough to ensure your salvation. For he who sins without repenting, yet does not despair, must out of necessity regard … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Master of Irony
I spent the three weeks of Pre-Lent (the good ol’ -Gesima Sundays of the One Year Lectionary, for you lectionary geeks) emphasizing the importance of preparing for Lent, what to watch out for, the need for prayer during Lent, the right understanding of fasting, the three Lenten disciplines of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. But guess what I did? In all my talk about preparing for Lent, I forgot to print out the fasting guidelines and resources that I prepared a couple of years ago. I also forgot to print out the devotional books that many folks seem to like. Who knows what else I forgot to do that I haven’t remembered yet. That’s one thing the Tempter is good at: irony and obviousness. He seems to hit us right in the hypocritical … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Jesus Said There Would Be Days Like This
A Christian couple opposed to homosexuality have lost a battle over their right to become foster carers. Eunice and Owen Johns, 62 and 65, from Derby, said the city council did not want them to look after children because of their traditional views. The pair, who are Pentecostal Christians, say they were “doomed not to be approved”. The High Court ruled that laws protecting people from sexual discrimination should take precedence. (read more here) No doubt you’ll hear more about this from other places. If you’re into AFA and OneNewsNow and Pat Robertson it will be histironic, outrage and reationary garbage. For my part, I’m just somewhat sad. The United Kingdom was a Christian nation, where the head of state was also head of the (Christian) Church of England. Obviously that is no … Read entire article »
Breaking into Our World
This is a must read post from Steve Robinson. Read the whole thing and then watch the video after. It will make your day. Maybe your week. Maybe your life. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Eucharisto
Perhaps the greatest single failure in the Christian life is the refusal to give thanks. Thanks that is dependent upon success or the fulfillment and pleasure of our own will is indeed thanksgiving – but is weak indeed. It is easy to give thanks for our pleasures and self-satisfactions (though even then we often forget to give thanks). Fr. Stephen Freeman (source) You could say that thanksgiving to God in every circumstance is the mark of a Christian; it is our daily activity, the source of our joy, the fountain from which our hearts beat and our days become something more than rote and given. They become life and joy and full. It is absurd and appears to be the height of foolishness to give thanks for the cancer, … Read entire article »
Filed under: The World
Mormon Education
I had to take my daughter to school at 6:45 this morning to get ready for a band trip, but on the way had to pick up a friend of hers who needed a ride. We were to pick her up not at her home, but at her church. Her Mormon church. At 6:30 in the morning. It sounded fishy to me. But we arrived, and there were other cars in the parking lot, and her friend came out and on the way to school I chatted with her about what she was doing and I learned a lot. From grades 9-12 on every school day she had “seminary” from 6:00-7:00 am. Every school day. For four years. I asked her if every Mormon church does it that way and she said some … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Faithfulness and Absolution
Creative Minority Report tells the story of a priest who may have been unjustly accused of a crime another committed–the other being a penitent who confessed his sins to the priest. Pornography was found on the priest’s computer and the priest gave “vague” and inconclusive answers as to why it was there. He was fired from his post, and perhaps defrocked. But someone has come to the priest’s defense, admitting they put the material there–and had confessed it to the priest. Convoluted? Yes. Do we have the whole story? No. But it does get one thinking about the sanctity and seal of the confessional. Why is the confessional sealed? Why does a priest (or a pastor) swear to never reveal what was confessed? Some suppose it is a matter of integrity, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Fight the Power
A problem with Adult Converts and Adult Instruction Classes is many people have an underlying assumption that they pretty much know enough already. They tend to think one protestant is pretty much as good as another. And perhaps for many churches, that’s true. Likewise, the classes often seem to be taken with a view of learning the facts of this church body versus that church body. So what you may get is adults who are taking … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
This Wasteland
What is that sound high in the air Murmur of maternal lamentation Who are those hooded hordes swarming Over endless plains, stumbling in cracked earth Ringed by the flat horizon only (T.S. Eliot, “The Waste Land”) The great lie of the deceiver is the status quo, the illusion of normalcy. The Stones may have been unintentional prophets like Caiaphas before them, but they are servants of the Most High when they remind us of the impossibility of satisfaction. We were created for the Creator, to long for Him and search Him out. Our deeply satisfied lives in front of the glowing screen laughing at sex jokes and guile, thrilled with balls being thrown and caught by gladiator-sized steroid junkies realize the depth of our scorched souls. That we appear contented and happy among the idols that give … Read entire article »
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