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March 2012

March 06, 2012

Confronting the Unconscious: From Supernatural to Natural Spirituality

Note: This post is the first part in a Lenten series on Joyce Rockwood Hudson's...

February 2012

February 27, 2012

Is Jesus the “Human One”? A Lectionary Commentary on Mark 8

Jesus does not echo Peter’s title “Messiah,” but instead refers to himself as “the Son...

February 21, 2012

Sermon Series Retrospective: Matthew Fox’s “Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality”

For Advent, I preached through the four parts of Matthew Fox's landmark book Original Blessing: A Primer...

February 20, 2012

Preaching the Didache (50-70 C.E.): A Sermon Series Retrospective

During the season of Epiphany, I preached a six-part sermon series on the Didache (usually pronounced...

February 20, 2012

“Your Daughters Shall Prophecy”: Abolishing the Laity and Ordaining Women

Note: This post is the final installment in our six-part study of the ancient Christian...

February 18, 2012

Paul: Misogynist or Mystic?

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the...

February 13, 2012

Christ-peddlers: If God is still speaking, how do you know if someone is authentically speaking for God?

Note: This post is the fifth in a six-part series on the ancient Christian document...

February 07, 2012

The Gospel According to Process-Relational Theology

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the annual Emergent Village Theological Conversation. Emergent...

February 07, 2012

The Pragmatism of the Didache: Eucharist Like You’ve Never Heard It Before

9:1 Concerning the Eucharist, give thanks this way. 2 First, concerning the cup: We thank...

January 2012

January 23, 2012

A Progressive Christian Explores Healing Prayer: A Spiritual Practice for Preaching Mark 1:40-45 (Lectionary Commentary for February 12)

Although I do not know anyone personally with leprosy, much less anyone who has been...

January 23, 2012

Is Baptism Overrated?

Preview: Baptism is not overrated when it is viewed as a powerful sacrament and a...

January 16, 2012

The Pragmatism of the Didache: At Least Do What You Can

3:1 My child, flee evil of all kinds, and everything like it. 2 Don't be...

January 14, 2012

What Is the Gospel According to You? Three Meanings of “Good News” in Mark 1 (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary for January 22)

Note: If you want to skip to the section specifically on Mark 1:14-20, scroll down...

January 09, 2012

Preaching the Didache: What Is Your Canon and Why?

The Didache (usually pronounced Did-ah-Kay) is an ancient Christian document written around 50-70 CE and rediscovered...

December 2011

December 19, 2011

“Out Beyond Ideas” for Advent: Original Blessing, Creation Spirituality, and Social Justice

Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven is among us (Luke 17:21) or “at hand”...

December 16, 2011

Preaching through the Didache: A Call for Resources

During the season of Epiphany (basically from the beginning of 2012 through Ash Wednesday), I'm...

December 12, 2011

The Artist’s Way for Advent: Matthew Fox’s “Via Creativa”

I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you Which...

December 10, 2011

“Let It Be” (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary for the 4th Sunday of Advent)

The following is the second of two lectionary commentaries on the Gospel lesson for the...

December 10, 2011

“Hail Mary, Full of Grace” (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary for the 4th Sunday of Advent)

The following is the first of two lectionary commentaries on the Gospel lesson for the...

December 05, 2011

#OccupyAdvent: Befriending Darkness, Letting Go, and Letting Be

Whatever is foreseen in joy / Must be lived out from day to day. / Vision held...

December 01, 2011

Magnificat! Learning to Sing Mary’s Song (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary on Luke 1:46-55)

I love that the Revised Common Lectionary includes the Magnificat as the alternative Psalm reading...

November 2011

November 28, 2011

Theology in a 13.7 Billion-Year-Old Universe: Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, and Creation Spirituality

What would Christianity look like if the focus were Original Blessing, not Original Sin; Creation...

November 22, 2011

Progressive Christian Reflections on Advent

How should progressive Christians approach Advent in light of twenty-first century knowledge? The following are four meditations...

November 21, 2011

#OccupyAdvent: “Let the Reader Understand” (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary on Mark 13)

Backing up a few verses to look at the preceding context for this week's Gospel...

November 11, 2011

Four Spiritual Practices for Preaching on Matthew 25 (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary for Nov 20, 2011)

Spiritual Practice I: Visio Divina To begin to reflect on this scripture, I invite you...

November 08, 2011

Living the (Hardest) Questions: What If God Is Not “Fully and Unambiguously Good?”: A Process Theology Sermon

“What is the character of your God?” At a certain point of spiritual development, deconstruction (saying what...

November 05, 2011

From “A Thief in the Night” to Harold Camping (A Progressive Christian Lectionary Commentary for Nov 13, 2011)

Before there was a New Testament, before the Gospels were written, before any of Paul’s...

October 2011

October 31, 2011

How an Anti-King Parable Was Co-opted as a Kingdom of God Parable (#OccupyWallSt)

A 'Happy Halloween' Homily: A Spooky-Scary, Empire-Critical Reading of the Parable of the Wedding Feast...

October 24, 2011

#OccupyChurch: Jesus Threw out the Moneylenders for a Reason

Andy Lester was one of the most important professors I had in seminary. I took...

October 21, 2011

Response to Tony Jones’ Blog on “Picking and Choosing Your Bible Verses (or, Why To Abandon the Lectionary)”

(Note: At the end of last week, I posted a lectionary commentary for Sunday, October...