If I were to pick one item of teaching or practice that best marks the distinction between Protestants and the more ancient traditions of Christianity it would have to be Jesus’ mom. She’s huge to both Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Protestants? Not so much. Not too long ago I heard a Protestant sermon in which […]
Why Proclaim that Christ Ascended? (Heidelberg Catechism Q46)
One traditional Christian teaching that many today simply ignore is Christ’s “Ascension.” Why proclaim that Christ ascended into heaven? One answer is that it is simply biblical. You find it at the end of both Mark and Luke, but Acts 1 is the version that sticks in our collective memory. The risen Christ has just […]
Sex Addict Finds Recovery in Christ: St. Mary of Egypt
Little Girl Lost Sometimes being a bit rebellious tips over into deeper trouble. A 12-year-old girl, Mary, just on the cusp of young womanhood, ran away. This was not the tantrum that leads a kid to hide in the woods through dinner to punish her parents. Mary found her way to the big city. She fell […]
Good Friday: Mystery and Paradox
Last year I posted on the meaning of “Good” in “Good Friday.” Today my thoughts go more to the stunned awe that the Cross of Christ inspires. My love for Jesus always makes a reading of the Passion painful, especially read aloud in worship, and most especially if I am the one doing the reading. […]
Lent: On Repentance
Lent is coming. That means you still have a few days to get ready to take a dive into repentance. Chances are that doesn’t sound like such a great offer. Especially in the Protestant world we have a pretty hard time with repentance. We associate the word “repent” with our lunatic fringe, carrying signs about the […]
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