All posts filed under: Current Affairs

psalm 137: scraping the sides of the human condition

Leave a comment
Babylon / Captivity / Current Affairs / Hope / Old Testament / Psalm / Theology

I’m on sabbatical right now, and my “main” project is about creating a robust spirituality of hope. Below is small piece of this project, which is still very much in process.  By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept. When the Hebrew Bible wants to deal with pain, it turns to poetry. Psalm 137 is one of those poems that scrapes the emotion off the sides of the human condition. It starts with […]

lent 4a: rise from the dead

comments 2
Current Affairs / Easter / Epistles / Eschatology / Lectionary / New Testament / Paul / Year A

Zombies. Hungry with an insatiable appetite for living flesh, they roam alone and in hordes, looking and listening for prey. They have no regard for their own safety. No regard for life. No compassion. No relationships, not even with each other. They just want to feed. They want to consume. They are all hunger. As such, they are a grotesque statement on humanity. On culture: mindless consumming.

epiphany 5a reflection: lose the morons

Leave a comment
Current Affairs / Epiphany / Gospels / Jesus / Lectionary / New Testament / Religion / Year A

It is to be noted that the semantic parallel of “low-grade” with imbecile is far closer than might have been expected. (The Anchor Bible Commentary: Matthew by W. F. Albright and C. S. Mann. Page 55.) That is, quite possibly, the funniest statement that I’ve ever read in a biblical commentary. Had I been enjoying a beverage whilst reading that statement, I would have soiled the book. Albright and Mann have a quite different translation […]

a peace of marvel – a reflection on John 14:27

comments 2
Christology / Current Affairs / Easter / Gospels / Jesus / Lectionary / New Testament / Year C

The following is a reflection on John 14:27, as John 14:23-29 is the Gospel Lesson for the Sixth Sunday of Easter in Year C, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. I’m currently reading Stanley Fish’s magnificent little book, How to […]

a litany in the wake of terror in Boston

comment 1
Current Affairs / Prayers of the People

Officiant Lord Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace and the Great Physician, and it is to you that we pray. Intercessor We pray, O Lord, for those who were so tragically killed in Boston. We pray for all who love them, and all who grieve. We pray that they might find strength in you, and not be overwhelmed by their loss. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray, for those who were […]

power without power – a reflection on Christ the King Sunday, Year B

comments 2
Christology / Current Affairs / Eschatology / Gospels / Lectionary / New Testament / Theology / Year B

A reflection on Christ the King Sunday, especially for year B of the Revised Common Lectionary. Pope Pius XI inaugurated Christ the King Sunday in 1925, when the authority of the church was evidently waning in the world. Of course nearly ninety years later, the “authority” of the church—or even just the “place” of the church—in the world is almost laughable. We are all but irrelevant in the power structures of the community of nations. […]

will truthiness kill the church?

comments 3
Current Affairs / Religion

Every once in a while I read an article on CNN’s Belief Blog. The reporting and commentary is often interesting—but then I get drawn down to the amazing emotional energy in the Comments section. I’ve found that the comments generally fall into one of three categories: 1) comments which genuinely engage with the topic at hand, 2) broad comments which disparage religion in general, and 3) broad comments which disparage religious institutions and leaders specifically […]