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Progressive Christian

2020-05-15T07:49:00-04:00

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.

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Last updated on: May 15, 2020 at 7:49 am By Bruce Epperly

The Seventh Sunday after Easter Acts 1:15-15, 21-26 Psalm 1 I John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19 Today’s readings are about prayer and alignment with God’s vision. Belief and action are essential to Christian life, and prayer may be the most definitive faith practice. Prayer changes things and leads to world-transforming actions. The reading from Acts is a curious one. It describes the first congregational meeting in church history. Uncertain of who should take Judas’ place among the apostles, the community casts... Read more

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2015-05-04T08:41:30-04:00

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 – Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 10, 2015

Last updated on: May 4, 2015 at 8:41 am By Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 10, 2015 Bruce Epperly Acts 10:44-48 Psalm 98 I John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17 Love is at the heart of today’s readings. God is love and God’s love invites us to love in action. Those who love go beyond the ego and its needs and are willing to sacrifice to transform our world and create new communities of love. In the brief passage from Acts, experience trumps orthodox theology. Peter... Read more

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2015-04-25T15:33:49-04:00

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.

Living a Holy Adventure – Fifth Sunday of Easter – May 3, 2015

Last updated on: April 25, 2015 at 3:33 pm By Bruce Epperly

The Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 8:26-40 Psalm 22:35-41 I John 4:7-21 John 15:1-8 Today’s scriptures are mystical, energetic, and empowering. Angels inspire and divine energy flows, giving life to all creation and fruitfulness to persons of faith. Revelation is unbounded and democratic. The Pentecost spirit is unconstrained and flows to all people. An angel challenges Philip to hit the road. Not knowing exactly what’s in store, Philip nevertheless follows the angel’s guidance and comes upon an Ethiopian yearning to... Read more

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2015-04-27T12:48:17-04:00

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.

Everyone Belongs to God: A Response to Christoph Blumhardt

Last updated on: April 27, 2015 at 12:48 pm By Bruce Epperly

A Response to Everyone Belong to God, by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (Plough Publishing House, 2015) One of my preaching mentors Ernie Campbell once said that “there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are in God’s hands and know it and those who are in God’s hands and don’t.” Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt made this same affirmation one hundred years ago. He believed Christ is one of us and in Christ’s unity with us, all persons belong... Read more

2015-04-24T12:06:20-04:00

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.

Creating a Space for Grace: Responding to Terry Hershey

Last updated on: April 24, 2015 at 12:06 pm By Bruce Epperly

I always enjoyed Terry Hershey’s segments on Hallmark Channel’s “New Morning.” He spoke of beauty and the need for space simply to take in the wonders of life. He spoke of the need for sanctuary in the midst of busy days and challenging commitments. His book Sanctuary: Creating a Space for Grace in Your Life is a reminder that there is always a sanctuary awaiting us even in life’s most challenging times. Sanctuary is about grace. It isn’t something we... Read more

Book Reviews

2015-04-18T08:36:56-04:00

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.

Adventurous Lectionary – Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 26, 2015

Last updated on: April 18, 2015 at 8:36 am By Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 26, 2015 Acts 5:4-12 Psalm 23 I John 3:16-24 John 10:11-19 Today’s readings portray the interrelationship of theology, spirituality, and ethics. The Christian life is defined by God’s love for humankind and reflected in God’s suffering love in Jesus. Jesus’ suffering transforms the world and models our own relationships as sacrificial and interdependent. John’s gospel proclaims God’s abundant love. To those who see God as punitive and as the... Read more

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2015-04-10T08:44:46-04:00

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 – The Third Sunday of Easter – April 19, 2015

Last updated on: April 10, 2015 at 8:44 am By Bruce Epperly

The Third Sunday of Easter – April 19, 2015 Acts 3:12-19 Psalm 4 I John 3:1-7 Luke 4:36b-48 Resurrection is always life-shattering and beyond belief. Luke describes the disciples’ incredulity at encountering the Risen Christ. They have just heard of Jesus’ encounter with Cleopas and his friend at Emmaus and are astounded. In the midst of their conversation, Jesus appears greeting them with God’s peace. Resurrection life brings peace; it calms, clarifies, unites, and empowers. Perhaps a sense of God’s... Read more

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2015-04-06T18:50:05-04:00

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 Healing Power of Doubt: Responding to ‘Runaway Radical’

Last updated on: April 6, 2015 at 6:50 pm By Bruce Epperly

Amy and Jonathan Holligsworth’s Runaway Radical is a disturbing text. I was angry as I read about how religious leaders destroyed a young man’s spiritual idealism by manipulation, authoritarianism, and absolutism. As I prepare for next week’s sermon, I’ve been reading the story of Thomas the disciple. Thomas gets a bad rap for his willingness to doubt the resurrection until he can encounter the risen Jesus. Thomas is seen as the doubter and the skeptic, and is compared unfavorably with those... Read more

2015-04-04T09:26:14-04:00

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 – Second Sunday of Easter – April 12, 2015

Last updated on: April 4, 2015 at 9:26 am By Bruce Epperly

The Second Sunday of Easter Acts 4:32-35 Psalm 133 I John 1:1-2:2 John 20:19-31 Today’s scriptures have too much going on to cover in just one sermon. They could easily be part of a sermon series on practices of Easter. The inspirational preacher needs to be selective about choosing her or his focus among themes such as John’s Pentecost, breath prayer, believers’ authority, forgiveness, doubt and faith, faithful economics, ethical behavior, and confession of sin. John 20:19-31 initially highlights an... Read more

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2015-03-30T14:48:43-04:00

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.

Easter Sunday

Last updated on: March 30, 2015 at 2:48 pm By Bruce Epperly

Easter Sunday Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 I Corinthians 15:1-11 Mark 16:1-8 and John 20:1-18 This is the day that God has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! This is the heart of the Easter proclamation – God’s new thing, the divine creativity that brings forth new life with every new day, and that creates life where death appeared triumphant. On Easter Sunday, my practice is to read the passages from both Mark and John and a... Read more

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