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Catholic

2019-04-29T08:10:42-06:00

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.

Eye Contact for Lectors and the Assembly: Two Lessons Never Taught

Last updated on: April 29, 2019 at 8:10 am By Jack Hartjes

Eye contact between lectors and members of the assembly is a relationship. As a trainer of lectors (I’ve written a book), as a lector myself, and as a person in the pew, I see two parts of that relationship. There’s a way to make the lector’s part easier, but it’s only even possible when the assembly does its part. I feel sorry for lectors in my church. They try so hard to follow the rule that says they’re supposed to... Read more

Liturgy

2020-02-20T08:01:27-06:00

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 Problem of Suffering, Part 2: An Impatient Job

Last updated on: February 20, 2020 at 8:01 am By Jack Hartjes

A creative editor changed an old story about a character named Job. This editor challenged, through Job’s new voice , the Jews’ traditional explanation of suffering. No new explanation, only courage and hope in the face of suffering, is given. Episode 15-2 of the Rowing with Michael Series: A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and Commentary. Part One of this Episode is here. Introduction and Contents for this series HERE. Michael, row the boat ashore. Alleluia…. Job had money... Read more

Bible

2020-02-20T07:43:30-06:00

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.

Job and the Problem of Suffering, Part One: The Bible Tries Explaining

Last updated on: February 20, 2020 at 7:43 am By Jack Hartjes

“I never explain anything,” Mary Poppins says when asked why there are chimney sweeps in Mr. Banks’ clean home. For the problem of suffering the Book of Job tries out some explanations for the existence of suffering. In the end God goes with Mary Poppins, and we’re better for it. Episode 15-1 of the Rowing with Michael Series: A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and Commentary. Introduction and Contents for this series HERE. Michael, row the boat ashore. Alleluia….... Read more

Bible

2020-02-20T09:04:47-06:00

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.

Solomon and Embracing the Symbol King

Last updated on: February 20, 2020 at 9:04 am By Jack Hartjes

The honor that Israel’s memory paid to King Solomon belies the fact that his kingdom fell apart right after he died. This post enters into the troubled symbol king and thinks about rescuing it as an image for God. Episode 13 of the Rowing with Michael Series: A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and Commentary. Introduction and Contents for this series HERE. Michael, row the boat ashore. Alleluia…. A far off queen came to see a king. Alleluia. Was Solomon’s wisdom... Read more

Bible

2020-02-02T08:13:28-06:00

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.

Revelation is a Dialogue with God’s Word: Biblical Violence, Part Three

Last updated on: February 2, 2020 at 8:13 am By Jack Hartjes

Violence in the Bible disturbs some Christians and makes it easier to reject Biblical faith altogether. One way to deal with some of the Bible’s disturbing passages is to locate God’s revelation not in the pages of a book but in the reader’s encounter with the ancient words. Episode 13-3 of the Rowing with Michael Series: A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and Commentary. Introduction and Contents for this series HERE. The Bible’s authors lived in a violent age.... Read more

Bible

2020-02-02T07:59:10-06:00

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.

Joshua Didn’t Destroy Jericho: The Problem of Biblical Violence, Part Two

Last updated on: February 2, 2020 at 7:59 am By Jack Hartjes

The Bible contains a lot of violence, much of it unjust by today’s standards. In this post I use findings of archaeologists that indicate that some of the worst violence, for example, the battles Joshua fought, didn’t really happen. I leave for the next post the question why these stories are in the Bible. Episode 13-2 of the Rowing with Michael Series: A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and Commentary. Introduction and Contents for this series HERE. People have... Read more

Bible

2020-02-02T07:51:31-06:00

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 Problem of Biblical Violence, Part One

Last updated on: February 2, 2020 at 7:51 am By Jack Hartjes

Violence in the Bible is a difficult issue for Christians, especially when God commands it. This post raises the question of violence in biblical stories. The next two consider the history behind the stories and their place in Scripture. Episode 13-1 of the Rowing with Michael Series: A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and Commentary. Introduction and Contents for this series HERE. Michael, row the boat ashore. Alleluia…. Mighty Sampson had lots of hair, Alleluia. Until Delilah shaved him... Read more

Bible

2018-06-29T05:10:19-06:00

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.

One Nation Under God, or Under Something at Least

Last updated on: June 29, 2018 at 5:10 am By Jack Hartjes

The Fourth of July, the celebration of our nation’s independence, is near. I have been thinking about what makes America great – and what does not. I argue here that the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance are a much better clue to that greatness then the loud cries of “America first,” which one hears in the politics of today. The phrase “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. With the rise of atheism... Read more

Uncategorized

2020-02-02T07:35:46-06:00

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.

Four Amazing Women in the Genealogy of Jesus

Last updated on: February 2, 2020 at 7:35 am By Jack Hartjes

The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel lists four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheeba. (If you count Mary there are 5, but the genealogy is on the foster father Joseph’s side. Makes no sense to me either.) It’s noteworthy that there are any women at all in the list, but Matthew’s choices are even more remarkable when you get to know these four. Episode 12 of the Rowing with Michael Series:A journey through the Jewish/Christian Scriptures in Verse and... Read more

Bible

2022-06-20T07:16:29-06:00

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.

Two Spiritualities of Banking—Dad’s and Wall Street’s

Last updated on: June 20, 2022 at 7:16 am By Jack Hartjes

Banking is spiritual? That’s the idea here, also that the kind of spirituality matters. William T. Cavanaugh describes the spirituality of Wall Street as a flight away from material reality. My dad’s banking practice moved in the opposite direction, and that’s spirituality too. The first kind gave us the recession of 2008. The second is Christian. I’ll get to Dad later. Cavanaugh is going to help me with Wall Street. A theologian based in DePaul University, Cavanaugh is interested in... Read more

Economics

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