Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian

2012-10-25T15:21:34-04:00

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.

Is a Bad God Better than No God at All?

Last updated on: October 25, 2012 at 3:21 pm By Bruce Epperly

Do you recall the lyrics of a popular song from a few decades ago? Got to believe that A little bit of love is better than no love Even the bad love is better than no love And any kind of love is better than no love at all. Although I’m a big fan of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s music, I never really liked the song. When I first heard the words, my response was “Really?” I knew people... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-10-22T15:14:46-04:00

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 Adventurous Lectionary – Pentecost 22

Last updated on: October 22, 2012 at 3:14 pm By Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary – Pentecost 22 – October 28, 2012 Job 42:1-6, 10-17 Psalm 34:1-8 Hebrews 7:23-28 Mark 10:46-52 Replacement puppies and goldfish! That’s what parents often do when a child’s beloved pet dies. Sometimes they can fool the child, but not often! Eventually, even with fish and turtles, a perceptive child may recognize the difference and come to doubt their parents’ honesty. In today’s scripture, Job falls down before God and confesses his impiety. He confesses that he had... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-10-15T22:45:51-04:00

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.

Not Enough Religion in Politics?

Last updated on: October 15, 2012 at 10:45 pm By Bruce Epperly

“Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) This was the Apostle Paul’s counsel to the Christian community at Rome. He challenged them to live by a different lifestyle and spiritual orientation than the culture around them. Paul knew that we are children of our culture, but our culture need not determine our beliefs or actions. There is a divine restlessness that lures us away from polarization, consumerism, nationalism, and idolatry... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-10-15T19:29:29-04:00

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 Adventurous Lectionary: The 21st Sunday after Pentecost

Last updated on: October 15, 2012 at 7:29 pm By Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary for October 21 The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost After showing Job the wonders of creation, God shouts out to him, “Look at all I have created! Could you have done this? You are mortal and finite, earthling; you are nothing in the grand scheme of things. Don’t tell me know to run the universe!” There is good news and bad news in this passage that the wild and crazy preacher might explore. The good news is we... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-10-15T19:27:58-04:00

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 Adventurous Lectionary: The 20th Sunday after Pentecost

Last updated on: October 15, 2012 at 7:27 pm By Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary for October 14, 2012 The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost This week’s scriptures deal with suffering, sex, and money – quite a trifecta for an intrepid pastor to tackle. What “wild and crazy” images do this week’s lectionary readings provoke? Whether or not you follow a radical homiletic pathway, it is important to reflect on the roads not taken in your sermons. Quite possibly other people in your congregation are asking the same questions, but feel guilty about... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-10-02T18:44:49-04:00

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 Adventurous Lectionary: The 19th Sunday after Pentecost

Last updated on: October 2, 2012 at 6:44 pm By Bruce Epperly

The Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost — October 7, 2012 Job 1:1; 2:1-10; Psalm 26; Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16 Preaching at its best involves sharing provocative possibilities for congregational and personal transformation. Good sermons always involve considering “impossible things,” and these provocative propositions – somewhat askew and counter with reality as we know it – are what drives humankind forward on its holy adventure. Facts won’t save us; but imagination holds the key to healing the earth and our personal woundedness. Our healing comes... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-09-25T12:58:16-04:00

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 Adventurous Lectionary: The 18th Sunday After Pentecost

Last updated on: September 25, 2012 at 12:58 pm By Bruce Epperly

Lectionary Reflections for Sunday, September 30, 2012 Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22; Psalm 124; James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50 Today’s readings focus on healing and protection. Neither of these entirely comes from God, but involve our agency as well as divine creativity and care. Left to its own devices and apart from context, the reading from Esther is confusing. It needs history and context, a narrative to make sense of this “profile in courage.” Put briefly, known for her beauty, Esther catches the eye of... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-09-19T13:38:39-04:00

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 Adventurous Lectionary: The 17th Sunday after Pentecost

Last updated on: September 19, 2012 at 1:38 pm By Bruce Epperly

Lectionary Reflections for Sunday, September 30, 2012 Proverbs 31:10-31; Psalm 1; James 3:13-4:3, 7-a; Mark 9:30-37 One of my approaches to the lectionary is to counsel preachers that “if you read a passage, and it’s challenging, you need to include the passage in your sermon.” Too often, troubling passages – or simply unusual passages – are read in church without any commentary, critique, or tie in with the other lectionary readings. Proverbs 31 is one such passage that may sound strange to congregants... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-09-13T12:19:56-04:00

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.

The Adventurous Lectionary: The 16th Sunday after Pentecost

Last updated on: September 13, 2012 at 12:19 pm By Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 16, 2012 Proverbs 1:20-33 Psalm 19 James 3:1-12 Mark 8:27-38 Wisdom speaks, but is anyone listening? Wisdom cries out hoping for a response, but does anyone care? The whole universe is speaking forth the glory of God and the wisdom of divine creativity, but we are too busy to notice. Day after day, wisdom speaks through sunrises, bird songs, human voices, and synchronous encounters, but we seldom listen. The... Read more

Uncategorized

2012-09-04T21:56:01-04:00

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.

The Adventurous Lectionary: The 15th Sunday After Pentecost

Last updated on: September 4, 2012 at 9:56 pm By Bruce Epperly

Lectionary Reflections for September 9, 2012 Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Psalm 125; James 2:1-10, 14-17; Mark 7:24-27 Today’s lectionary readings break down the barriers of rich and poor, insider and outsider, and body and spirit. The quest for healing and wholeness embraces all of life, and healing in one place contributes to healing in other places. We cannot separate injustice from physical distress or racism from infant mortality rates and accessibility to health care and healthy diet. The church’s healing ministry must take on... Read more

Uncategorized

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Select your answer to see how you score.

David Jesus Job Isaiah

Books by This Author Books by Living A Holy Adventure

See All Titles »

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews The Adventurous Lectionary Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 December 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian