I sometimes run this experiment in theology classes — classes mostly of Reformed Protestants aiming to be ministers. You might expect they would be fluent in Reformed theology. The experiment goes like this: I say, Raise your hand if you are righteous. How many hands do you think would be in the air? Zippo. And yet […]
Pastoral Timing and Faith-Sized Steps (Letters to a Young Pastor)
Dear ______: You asked a good question about my advice on being a pastor in dicey political times. Doesn’t there come a time for being more direct? Don’t you need to speak out against such abominable sins as racism that leads to violence, xenophobia that stops people from loving their actual neighbors, and sexism that excuses […]
How Comforting Is Everlasting Life? (Heidelberg Catechism, Q58)
So finally the Heidelberg Catechism reaches the end of the Apostles’ Creed. (That’s “finally” if you’ve been with me since 2013 when I started blogging on the Catechism, including this section.) They’ve been at it line by line, sometimes word by word, since question 26. Now it is Question 58, and they address the concluding […]
On Forgiveness (Heidelberg Catechism, Q 56)
What is forgiveness? I’m sorry, we say. We did something that caused someone pain. No problem, they answer. Or That’s okay. What if they said I forgive you. It almost grates doesn’t it? If someone says they forgive us, it means they agree that we did them some harm. There was something that needed forgiving. Ouch. We’re much […]
Why You Should Read Popularizations (Letters to a Young Pastor)
Dear ______: I’ve been trying to help you rethink the process of reading when it comes to your course assignments in seminary. This is actually long term advice: whatever kind of work you end up doing, you’ll learn more of what you need day by day if you know how to make quick work of […]
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