There’s nothing quite as disturbing as watching those who claim to follow Jesus mock and dehumanize the very people Jesus loved and even the kind of people exhibiting the same characteristics he did, like being a man who freely expressed emotions and cried. Jesus said...
03734 – A Stone’s Throw?
If you claim to be someone's ally, but aren't getting hit by the stones thrown at them, you aren't standing close enough.
03675 – Taking God’s Name in Vain
When you claim to be a Christian, you are claiming to reflect the very person of Jesus, publicly declaring that his Spirit abides within you. So when someone claims to be a Christian but commits acts of hate, violence, or oppression using their faith as a rationale,...
03137 – Who is “Other”??
Sometimes for humans no one is more "other" than the person who claims to worship the same God we worship but differently, and the Samaritans were "those people."
03030 – Failure of Evangelicalism
Among the worst failures of evangelicalism has been the damage done to people’s opinions about Jesus himself. Evangelical leaders wanted to be understood as speaking for Jesus, and unfortunately, many have accepted that claim and therefore rejected both them and their...
02899 – The Comfort of the Crucified
All sufferers can find comfort in the solidarity of the Crucified; but only those who struggle against evil by following the example of the Crucified will discover him at their side. To claim the comfort of the Crucified while rejecting his way is to advocate not only...
02550 – We Might Be Wrong!
We must never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God...A generous orthodoxy, in contrast to the tense, narrow, or controlling orthodoxies of so much of Christian history, doesn't take itself too seriously. It is humble. It doesn't claim too much....
01610 – Power vs. Authority
The Quaker writer Richard Foster was the first to alert me, I believe, to the important distinction between power and authority. Power is claimed; authority is earned. Power is based on being in charge and having the leverage to impose punishment on others who might...