As much as the season of Epiphany is a time for discovering new realities about God in Christ, it is also a time for returning to the basics of the Gospel message. Many of the liturgical readings for this time of the year go back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and each gospel narrative […]
Tag: Politics
On Where to Start
When the rush of Christmas wears off and the realities of the world begin to wear us down again, the Epiphany season of the Church Calendar invites us to revisit the beginning of our faith journey by recalling the significance of baptism. Regardless of denominational differences regarding baptism practices, the meaning of baptism itself does […]
On Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day
Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day were the same day this year. It’s a fairly rare occasion and apparently happening only one more time this century (2029). And this almanac synergy is occurring at a time in human history where division is great and conflicts between peoples are growing more abundant every day. For those who […]
On Rebuke and Affirmation
Naturally I’m a slow reader, often going at a mental cadence akin to a pony ride. When I read the Bible this is usually the case as well. Sometimes, though, I listen to an audio recording of Scripture and that experience is as if I am suddenly galloping on a horse and experiencing a familiar […]
On Choice of Words
When we look at both faith and politics, we find a lot of rhetoric. Lots of words. Some may be just filler, but all are chosen—to persuade, reassure, distract, disarm, deflect, encourage, motivate, etc. (As is often the case, I find myself questioning the writing of this reflection at all, knowing that I am writing […]
On Our Saviors
Alongside examining what is sacred in our society and social circles, we must also reflect on who we elevate as our saviors—or, as we often soften the reality: our heroes, role-models, stars, icons, idols. These saviors we turn to come in all forms: respected historical figures, talented pop artists, savvy politicians, fair arbiters of justice, […]
On What is Sacred
At the intersection of faith and politics are frequent claims that this or that should be considered sacred. Those with a devoted faith must examine these claims critically, and for those that desire to follow Christ this means reconciling these claims with the call of our Savior and Lord.
On Context
It is impossible to meditate on the topic of “faith and politics” without considering church history and the seemingly endless involvement the Christian church (arguably all denominations) have had with (or against) political systems for the last 2,000+ years. It is viewed by many nowadays that there should be a separation between church and state. […]
On Faith and Politics
Many of us have been told there are two topics that are simply too personal to discuss publicly: faith and politics. Between now and Reformation Day 2020 (October 31), I am writing a series of reflections on this topic. Why? Simply, because I believe that what many of us have been told is unbiblical and […]
By Way of (Re)Introduction
During the autumn 2017, I wrote a series of daily reflections leading up to the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. One writing a day for roughly 40 days. When the writing exercise was coming to a close, I thought I would continue writing a reflection every few weeks. That did not happen. Lately though, […]
Relevant Reformation 