We Be of One Blood, Ye and I
A 9/11 reflection based on blood and the Jungle Book
Dr. Peter Marty: A God Bent on Relationship
What are some of the Bible stories that are indispensable to living the Christian life well? Why are they so valuable to our journey of faith? These are the questions prompting this 10-part series. Part 1: Genesis 3:1-9.
Dr. Jamie Jenkins: The Right Word at the Right Time
"There is a right time to speak and a right time to be silent" (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Lord, teach us when to speak up and when to shut up.
Greg Garrett: Post 9/11 Literature: Darkness and Light
How popular culture -- especially literature -- has helped us have the post-9/11 conversations our national leaders have been trying hard to avoid.
Labor Day and the Kingdom
The dangerous message in some parables you probably don't want to preach about around Labor Day.
Dr. Lillian Daniel: Spiritual But Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me
In her meditation on Matthew 16:18, Lillian Daniel writes, "Being privately spiritual but not religious just doesn't interest me. There is nothing challenging about having deep thoughts all by oneself."
Dr. C.K. Robertson: 9/11/2001: Beyond What Is Comfortable
In a meditation for ReadtheSpirit.com, the Rev. Canon Chuck Robertson writes, "On the morning of September 11, I knew that there always had been “wars and rumors of wars,” there had always been the poor, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, but all these were someone else’s problem."
bearing fruit implies connection
the meaning of a friendship with jesus
Dr. Thomas Lane Butts: Listen to the Children
To my utter surprise, after I was told to do a mini-sermon with the children each Sunday morning in the church I served at the time, it soon became the favorite part of my Sunday morning ministry. Here's one reason why.
The Lifeboat of Laughter
A reflection on the upcoming tenth anniversary of 9/11
ON Scripture: Mark Vitalis Hoffman: Matthew 18:15-20: Insiders and Outsiders
Matthew 18:15-20 is an insider's text for outsiders. From Matthew's perspective, Jesus is both warning and assuring those inside the young Christian church. It is a church, however, whose members stand outside the main streams of both religious and civil practice.
Dr. Jim Somerville: Surviving the Hurriquake
Since my last post I have survived a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that was felt as far north as Boston, and felt the gusting fury of Hurricane Irene, which ripped up a half dozen ancient oaks on my street and left most of the city without power.
The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow: The Importance of Being Spiritual AND Religious
I get why people would create the dichotomy between spirituality and religiosity. Engaging in a religious life that demands being part of a community is often difficult and frustrating. But...
The Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush: Memorializing Martin Luther King Jr., the Prophet of Progress
Many would say that the Washington Mall's recognition of the most important religious and civic figure of the 20th century is long overdue, and they would be right. But what is clear is that America needs this monument to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- right now.
Dr. Jamie Jenkins: Neither throw out the past nor be bound by it
I have been energized by recent conversations with younger clergy. I am encouraged by their passion for the Gospel and their love for the Church. Their perspectives hold tremendous promise but they have challenged me in many ways.
David Crumm: A Conversation with John Philip Newell
Journalist David Crumm of ReadtheSpirit.com talks with author and Celtic spiritual leader John Philip Newell about his new book, "A New Harmony."
Do You Have a Hard Time Saying No?
Have you ever said "yes" to a request, and then gone back to your office kicking yourself because you didn't say "no?" Leadership involves a series of yeses and nos, and it's important for leaders to be thoughtful about both.
Odyssey Networks: Dr. Serene Jones on Our "Ceilings"
While much is made of the "glass ceiling" that prevents women from reaching senior positions in organizations, the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones says there are many little glass ceilings that exist within each of us and determine our openness to others.
Dr. Jim Somerville: Did Jesus Really Walk on Water?
What does it mean to say something like Jesus walked on water, and in this story what does it mean to say that Peter did, too? Let’s take a closer look…
Greg Garrett: Fighting Islamophobia with Information
Muslim Americans love America, and are here not to spread their faith, but for the reasons people have always come to America: to live with dignity, to worship freely, to pursue their dreams.