During this period of the Church Calendar known as Epiphany or the “the time Epiphany”, we look back on the “firsts” of Jesus’ ministry. Recently in this series of reflections, we have touched on how Jesus’ mission is introduced and how the first disciples were called. It is appropriate for us to also look at […]
Tag: Society
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 Epiphanies
Epiphanies tend to come in waves. That is to say, one epiphany can lead to a second. Or, a singular epiphany can morph over time into an even greater one. The same is true for the Church’s Epiphany season that follows Christmas, during which there is much to discover. Epiphany kicks off with the celebration […]
On Needing One Another
Jesus appointed twelve apostles. Did he really need to? As the Son of God, he surely could have just gone about his mission on his own, right? In today’s culture we tend to idolize those who are strong solitary characters that appear to not need anyone else. People who take on the evils of the […]
On Satan
While writing my last blog post, I realized that it was the first time on here I discussed Satan and I struggled with the concept of writing about our Adversary. (I even wondered if I should capitalize the word Satan or not. Was he worthy of such font treatment?) Of course, as is natural for […]
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 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 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. […]
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, […]
On Peace on Earth
During this past Christmas season, I found myself meditating on the concept of “peace on earth”. Peace between nations, peace between people, peace from war, and peace within. As cards of the season’s greetings came in the mail, as church services were attended, and as all the festive lights shown around me, I found myself […]
Relevant Reformation 