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Progressive Christian

2025-01-21T21:32:59-04:00

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.

Julian of Norwich’s Parable of the Lord and the Servant

Last updated on: January 21, 2025 at 9:32 pm By Vance Morgan

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Several weeks ago, I posted that because of a number of seemingly random coincidences, I was going to be reading some books about and by Julian of Norwich. After beginning that process, it’s time to touch base here with what I have learned so far–knowing that I still have a long way to go as I familiarize myself with the thought of this fascinating 14th century mystic. In the past six weeks I have read about two-thirds of Simon Critchley’s Mysticism,... Read more

2025-01-19T13:07:51-04:00

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.

The God of History is an Atheist: Thoughts on MLK Jr. Day

Last updated on: January 19, 2025 at 1:07 pm By Vance Morgan

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It is an ironic quirk of the calendar that January 20th–the consitutionally designated date for the presidential inauguration every four years–fall this year on Martin Luthre King Jr. Day. I have no intention of watching or listening to any news today, so it’s a good day to think a bit about one of MLK Jr’s most quoted statements. Former President Obama loved this passage from MLK Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”... Read more

Dr. Martin Luther King

justice

Simone Weil

2025-01-18T10:31:11-04:00

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 Makes an Adult Beverage

Last updated on: January 18, 2025 at 10:31 am By Vance Morgan

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My relationship with adult beverages began when I was in high school. Of course, 95% of the adults in this country would probably say the same thing, but my story is a bit different. Alcoholic beverages were among the dozens of things that good Baptists did not indulge in (along with dancing, movies, colorful language, . . .). My father was a conservative Protestant minister, a national vice president of the IFCA, for God’s sake. That’s the Independent Fundamental Churches... Read more

2025-01-12T15:41:59-04:00

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.

Why Mysteries are the Best Fictional Genre

Last updated on: January 12, 2025 at 3:41 pm By Vance Morgan

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I am currently two-thirds of the way through the second installment in Martin Walker’s “Bruno, Chief of Police” series (which has 17-18 entries). I like it–it is set in southwestern France where my hero Michel de Montaigne lived and worked five centuries ago. I’m learning a lot about rural French culture and a great deal about food and wine. I love mysteries and am reminded of an important conversation I had almost thirty-one years ago. “When you aren’t reading philosophy,... Read more

2025-01-14T08:37:38-04:00

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.

Now it Begins (Again)

Last updated on: January 14, 2025 at 8:37 am By Vance Morgan

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In last few minutes of Franco Zefferelli’s Jesus of Nazareth, Zerah pokes his head into the tomb where he observed the dead Jesus of Nazareth being buried three days earlier. Zerah is a politically astute, power-hungry Pharisee who has been an enemy of Jesus since he first heard about the roving rabbi three years earlier. Zerah is the one who manipulates Judas into betraying Jesus. Zerah is the one who convinces the Romans to put a beefed-up military presence in front... Read more

2025-01-11T12:54:51-04:00

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.

Remembering an Excellent Colleague and Friend

Last updated on: January 11, 2025 at 12:54 pm By Vance Morgan

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I have been in a somber mood for the last few days, ever since the unexpected death of a longtime colleague and friend from the college. Hugh Lena was the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Providence College for the last fifteen years of his forty-five year career, first hired as an assistant professor of sociology in 1974. By the time I joined the faculty in 1994, Hugh was a major player in all aspects of the... Read more

Development of Western Civilization

Development of Western Civilization

friends

leadership

Providence College

2025-01-12T12:14:18-04:00

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.

Were Adam and Eve Human Before the Fall? Spoiler alert: No

Last updated on: January 12, 2025 at 12:14 pm By Vance Morgan

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I am not overstating the case when I say that I was raised on original sin. I wrote about this in a post a few days ago, but it is worth mentioning again, simply because I feel now, in my 68th year, that the grip of this pernicious doctrine has largely lost its power over me. There are many reasons for this positive development, not the least being that I have learned the power of unconditional love from a few people... Read more

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2025-01-12T13:54:01-04:00

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.

My Word for 2025

Last updated on: January 12, 2025 at 1:54 pm By Vance Morgan

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Anne Lamott tells the story of an older woman who, along with other active geriatric members of her adult living community, was advised by the leader of a weekly therapy group to begin and end each day with a specific prayer or meditation—sort of like morning and evening prayer. Before long, the old woman and other members of the group shortened the meditation to “Whatever” at the beginning of the day and “Oh well” at the end. “Whatever” and “Oh... Read more

2025-01-06T00:43:56-04:00

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.

Getting Ready for Epiphany

Last updated on: January 6, 2025 at 12:43 am By Vance Morgan

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The Feast of the Epiphany is January 6. Let’s consider the heart of this unique liturgical season that marks the “coming out party” of Jesus. Here’s what I wrote for the day of Epiphany in my forthcoming book A Year of Faith and Philosophy. The gospel reading in all three years for Epiphany is the familiar story from Matthew 2 where wise men from the East, following a star, end up at the house where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph live.... Read more

2025-01-03T10:09:20-04:00

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.

What Is Your Moral Anchor?

Last updated on: January 3, 2025 at 10:09 am By Vance Morgan

Is it ever right to hold a grudge? Is resentment or unforgiveness ever justified? These questions were front and center in a seminar with a bunch of freshmen not long ago; their answers revealed one of the most important and ubiquitous moral divides of all—the divide between what we think we should believe and what we actually believe. And behind the discussion loomed an even larger moral issue: Where does a person’s moral compass come from, and is there any way... Read more

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