Holding the Hot Potato
When Jesus told parables, he often avoided straightforward hero/villain figures. The prodigal son and his brother, the shrewd manager, the unjust judge — Jesus generally gives us surprisingly complex characters to wrestle with in his short stories. But the unforgiving debtor: obviously a bad guy.* He receives the mercy of the king, and then turns […]
Life is Community
Life is community is so beautiful. Life in community is so hard. There is so much I love about living in community with others. There is so much joy in walking with others through the highs and the lows of life. Community makes us stronger, reminds us that we are not alone, and helps us […]
Understanding Doesn’t Heal
I’m a sucker for self-help books with a spiritual or cosmic thread. I love to learn and it’s been a relatively harmless addiction. My quest has been to understand my purpose and to live with the consequences of my choices. But what could Jesus possibly mean when he talks of letting go of one’s life […]
Names Matter
We post-enlightenment folks tend to believe that names are simply arbitrary collections of syllables, with no connection to the essential reality of the people or things that they point to. Just as it doesn’t change the taste or consistency or any other tangible quality if I call my breakfast porridge or oatmeal, it shouldn’t make […]
