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Progressive Christian

2025-04-19T13:59:05-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jesus & Lao Tzu: How to Embody the Way of Love Completely

Last updated on: April 19, 2025 at 1:59 pm By Gregory T. Smith

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Christians believe in Christ. Taoists follow the Tao. But Jesus and Lao Tzu demonstrate how to embody the Way of Love completely. There is a tremendous difference between having faith in a belief system and walking in its path. Faith isn’t about ascribing to dogma. Instead, it’s about trusting God and putting flesh to the Tao of Love. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Verse 23 Stephen Mitchell Translation Express yourself completely, then keep quiet. Be like the forces... Read more

New Visions

Health, Fitness and Religion

Relationships and Religion

2025-04-23T04:04:56-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Take Our Children to Work Day: Bad for Pastor’s Kids

Last updated on: April 23, 2025 at 4:04 am By Gregory T. Smith

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April 24th is National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. That’s fine for most children, but not so great for pastor’s kids. I have many memories of my parents taking me to work with them when I was a kid. When sick, I normally went to my mom’s place of employment, as she worked at a pediatric office. My dad invited me to ride in the back of the car as he ran his rural newspaper route. He... Read more

General Christian

Family, Parenting and Religion

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Challenging the Church

Take Our Children to Work Day

Take Our Daughters to Work Day

2025-04-15T20:29:00-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Experiencing the Resurrection with All Five Senses

Last updated on: April 15, 2025 at 8:29 pm By Gregory T. Smith

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In the resurrection, Jesus employed all five senses to display God’s grace. Whatever your learning style, Jesus will meet you where you live. Sometimes we humans can be slow learners. That’s why God gave us five senses, so we can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel the world around us. The five senses help us to make sense of our existence. Each of these senses is instrumental in our learning. Jesus Employed all Five Senses Science tells us... Read more

General Christian

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Road to Emmaus

visual aural kinesthetic learners

2025-04-18T06:28:59-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Grief is a Wall You Won’t Get Over—But You Can Get Through

Last updated on: April 18, 2025 at 6:28 am By Gregory T. Smith

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When you’re grieving, you expect certain feelings while others come as a surprise. But there is hope for those who experience grief. Grief can hit you unexpectedly. You can be taken aback by sudden feelings of heartache or linger in unexplainable sorrow. Grief looks different for each individual. But it has some common features. More Than Just Mourning a Death When you hear the word “grief,” you likely think of mourning a person’s death. But grief can take many... Read more

General Christian

Relationships and Religion

Family, Parenting and Religion

For Pastors

Mental Health

Do Not Grieve as Those Who Have No Hope

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

2025-04-12T18:18:49-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Renaming God: Light and Life Beyond the Old Language

Last updated on: April 12, 2025 at 6:18 pm By Gregory T. Smith

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“I don’t believe in God,” she said. “But I do believe in Life with a capital L.” Renaming God as Light and Life can preserve faith for some. Maybe your friends don’t believe in the God of your understanding but still believe in the God of theirs. Renaming God can help you and your “faithless” friends find common ground. In this series, “Renaming God,” we look at alternative names for the Divine. These may help people come to terms with... Read more

General Christian

Family, Parenting and Religion

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Challenging the Church

Deconstruction

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I am the resurrection and the life

I Am the Way the Truth and the Life

Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path

Light and Life

Light of the World

Renaming God

2025-04-07T08:49:01-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jesus & Lao Tzu: Let Yourself Be Broken

Last updated on: April 7, 2025 at 8:49 am By Gregory T. Smith

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Most people want power and recognition. But Jesus says that to be first, you must be last. To be whole, you must let yourself be broken. Whether it’s the place of honor at the family table, special recognition at church, or that promotion at work, everybody wants status and respect. But is putting yourself first consistent with the Tao of Love? The Tao Te Ching’s twenty-second verse addresses this. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Verse 22 J.H. McDonald Translation... Read more

New Visions

Health, Fitness and Religion

2025-04-07T05:59:51-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Stop, Look, and Listen: Quieting Your Soul to Hear God

Last updated on: April 7, 2025 at 5:59 am By Gregory T. Smith

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On busy streets, attentiveness means survival. In spiritual life, learning to stop, look, and listen can help you quiet your soul to hear God. As I visit my grandchildren this week, I am reminded of how dangerous the world can be for children. Yet, I was pleased with how well my daughter taught her kids when I took my nine-year-old granddaughter for a walk. As we reached intersections, unbidden she stopped, looked, listened, and then declared the crossing safe before... Read more

General Christian

Health, Fitness and Religion

Family, Parenting and Religion

Spirituality

Centering prayer

Contemplative prayer

hearing but not understanding

Isaiah 55

Listening Prayer

stop look and listen

2025-04-04T08:37:32-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When Angels Smoke Snipes and Smell Like Beer

Last updated on: April 4, 2025 at 8:37 am By Gregory T. Smith

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Not all angels have wings. Sometimes God’s messengers smoke snipes, smell like beer, and sleep on the streets. Some time ago, I was on the way to visit someone who was a hospital patient but also a prisoner. A police officer sat by his door to make sure he didn’t escape, and to ensure he had no unauthorized visitors. I had the patient’s room number written down on a little piece of paper, but when I got inside the hospital,... Read more

General Christian

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Family, Parenting and Religion

Challenging the Church

For Pastors

Social Justice

Bible

He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor

2025-05-17T08:58:51-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Baptist Ordination: No Standards? No Problem!

Last updated on: May 17, 2025 at 8:58 am By Gregory T. Smith

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Southern Baptist church autonomy (read: anarchy) causes problems for the ordination of ministers. They’re like, “No standards? No problem!” Nobody likes to be told that they’re doing something wrong—but, SBC Churches, you’re doing ordination wrong! On my thirtieth anniversary of ordination, I’m reevaluating a few things that make Baptist ordination problematic. Ordination’s Fallibility If you haven’t already, I invite you to bookmark this page, and go read the first two articles in this three-part series. Then, return here when... Read more

Evangelical

Education and Religion

Careers, Workplace and Religion

Challenging the Church

For Pastors

Autonomy of the local church

Southern Baptist Convention

2025-05-17T09:00:45-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rethinking Ordination: Power, Purpose, and Problems

Last updated on: May 17, 2025 at 9:00 am By Gregory T. Smith

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What is ordination? Does the Church still need it today? Rethinking ordination, we’ll look at its power, purpose, and problems it may cause. In my last article, I detailed my experience from my call to ministry to my license to preach, and then to my ordination. I discussed both the problems and the joys along the way. My next article will continue to investigate the challenges inherent in Southern Baptist ordination. In addition to the challenges, I will suggest... Read more

Evangelical

Education and Religion

Careers, Workplace and Religion

Challenging the Church

Ordination in the New Testament

Ordination in the Old Testament

Priesthood of All Believers

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