Jesus doesn't save us from a monstrous God who damns people to hell for coloring outside the lines. Jesus saves us from being monsters who draw normative lines that make life hell for others. The lines that matter are the boundaries required by human dignity. Those...
As an American patriot, I celebrate the Fourth of July with pride and gratitude. However, I distinguish this patriotism from Christian nationalism. My faith teaches me that Jesus transcends political affiliations and national boundaries. He is not the exclusive...
Christianity can be confusing, but the way of Jesus was pretty clear. Move toward the poorEmpower the womanCreate space at the tableThrow partiesWiden the family boundariesPoke holes in oppressive systemsDon't retaliate with violenceForgive your enemyDon't store up...
Embrace the faith that every challenge surmounted by your energy; every problem solved by your wisdom; every soul stirred by your passion; and every barrier to justice brought down by your determination will ennoble your life, inspire others, serve your country, and...
We are the same. There is no difference anywhere in the world. People are people. They laugh, cry, feel, and love, and music seems to be the common denomination that brings us all together. Music cuts through all boundaries and cuts right to the soul.
I’ve come to see that the call of God, the love that bids us welcome, is always a call to become the true you. Not a doormat. The true you. Not an imitation of someone else. The true you: someone made in the image of God, deserving of and receiving love. The ability...
Jesus' message is shocking not because he extends the boundaries to include outsiders. His message shocks because it doesn't recognize boundaries at all.
The preoccupation with protecting boundaries between the chosen and the despised people is not limited to the Samaritan/Jewish conflict of the first century. Throughout human history, people and nations have defined themselves over against other groups. The history of...
The Spirit was present at creation and abided in Jesus of Nazareth and in every other being who has ever lived and ever will. Because it is life itself, it infuses all life. It need not be asked into our lives, for it is already there. While this Spirit dwells in us,...
The empowerment of the Spirit is not earned; it is freely given. And so with the early church at Pentecost. It was not their courage or clarity that evoked the blessing of the Spirit, for they were vulnerable and confused. The Spirit is a gift, not a possession. The...