This Sunday is the celebration of “Christ the King,” the last Sunday in the Western Church year. Christ the King Mainline Protestantism seem to take this celebration in stride, as if it were as ancient and venerable a part of the calendar as Easter, or Lent, or even Christmas. The youngest of those key celebrations […]
Monday Meditation: RCL Year B, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 6:14-29
This Sunday’s lectionary Gospel text is an odd one. Go read Mark 6:14-29 for yourself and let me know if you think so too. I’ll wait. Doo dee doo, dee dee dum … Okay, you’re back. Why is it an odd text? Here’s why I think it’s odd: Jesus doesn’t show up. Mark 6:14-29 It […]
What Was Holy Saturday About?
Christ is risen! That really makes all the difference. Or at least we know that it should. My fellow Protestants, as I’ve noted before, have a hard time really focusing in on just how Christ’s resurrection makes the difference. We are so committed to preaching only “Christ and him crucified” that we find ourselves inextricably […]
Writing (A “Benedictory” Column for the Presbyterian Outlook)
I’m back! As of today my right hand is no longer in a splint. The last six weeks of being functionally left-handed have been full of challenges. Not least of these was the inability to type. I gave myself a break from blogging. I hope you’ll still find my site and come along for the […]
Writing, Despite It All (The Writer’s Inner Life)
I was doing what I normally do in the late afternoon: cooking dinner for my family. I was cutting up an onion with an 8 inch chef’s knife. I was holding it the way chefs teach you to hold it. A jolt of pain shot through my right hand. The knuckle of my middle finger looked […]