If someone were to ask me, “what is your favorite spiritual discipline?” I would probably rattle off memorizing the scriptures or visualizing myself as part of a biblical text. Scriptural rosery practice, hymn singing, fasting… truly anything but forgiveness. Why then do I choose this for my focus? Well, because … ∞
—a bitter humor— A blessing run amok I did not ask for this: Beautiful and appalling. Volatile, voiceless Disturbing reality of a God gone silent for such a time as this. I did not ask for this: Abandoned, reaching, trembling. “Cursed be Haman!” “Blessed be Mordecai!” I’m drunk, it all … ∞
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). The term “glass” in the scripture above is the Greek “katoptrizomai,” and it … ∞
There are many things to be said about Distance Learning. However, it comes with many pros and cons. Each of us in the distance program has our unique way of looking at this learning format. Some of us thoroughly enjoy being able to study from home somewhat on our schedule. … ∞
Love has been the anchor of Christianity – and this has made Christianity a difficult and a unique religion in my perspective. (Matt 22:37; 39) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 39 And the second … ∞
Why Do We Pray? The Catholic tradition has always held a sense of mystery for me. Growing up in Nebraska, there were a lot of Catholics around. The Catholic church was one of the largest in our small town, and many of my friends and teachers ascribed to the Catholic … ∞
A catastrophe is no time for the Church to begin straining its unused vocal cords in the public square. The Church’s response then must be through the witness of our actions. Actions born of our recognition, of our participation in God’s care of the world through our participation in Christ’s … ∞
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 gives us all a chance to look at how things can change in our lives. The best part of that is that God allows us to celebrate and grieve those changes, as he has made a time for everything. This concept can sometimes cause stress to some as … ∞
COVID-19 calls us to learn again from our forbearers, who looked to Scripture’s descriptions of God’s agency in times of disaster as a compass for their own times. One obvious place to turn is to the story of the plagues visited upon Pharaoh and Egypt at the time of the … ∞
There are many things in this life that some of us take for granted. Maybe it’s having someone to share your life with, or perhaps even knowing that you woke up today through God’s amazing grace. For myself, life has been a journey of trying to celebrate the small stuff … ∞
There has been greater national and international devastation but the COVID-19 pandemic has its own distinctive character: states of emergency, nation-wide lockdowns, travel bans, the closure of most public institutions, and dire economic repercussions due to this devastating virus. The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 has been transforming the lives … ∞
When I think back on the infamous “Attack on America,” as referred to by so many, I think about where I was, who I was, and what I was doing with my life at that point. Like so many significant historical events before my time, the younger generation asked me … ∞
As we endeavor to begin another semester of deep, theological study, it is worth mentioning something that most people have a tendency to overlook. Perhaps that’s unfair of me to say as a generalization and I should just say that I myself have this struggle, but I’d wager that by the time you’ve read what I’m about to say you’ll agree with me. And if my wager is wrong, catch me on campus during intensives and I’ll buy you coffee. And if this isn’t another semester for you and it’s perhaps your first go ‘round, then heed this concept I’m about to place at your feet, or rather in front of your face, as a warning…
Spouse and Family Ministries/ Pottery Painting Night The Spouse and Family Ministries team has been meeting over the past few months. The purpose of this ministry is to connect spouses and families to one another, provide an atmosphere of care and hospitality and grow spiritually to be shaped more fully … ∞
A lot of my first-year friends tested out of it. I even thought about testing out of it. I know enough about World Religions, I thought. I’ve seen the News and plenty of funny culture-clash movies, so I get “Islam” and “Eastern Religions.” I’m also a fairly capable wikipaedia-er… who … ∞
