The great heresy in American popular religion is the notion that “religion is a private affair,” a secret contract between the believer and God. This individualistic heresy makes Jesus into a close, personal friend who listens, comforts, sustains, confirms, agrees,...
All religion seems to need to prove that it's the only truth. And that's where it turns demonic. Because that's when you get religious wars and persecutions and burning heretics at the stake.
We have bowed too low for too long at the personal altar of individualism. We need one another. We need the church, the family of faith.
Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.
In the Christian tradition Pentecost is not a polite occasion. It was full of fire, wind, confusion, and a diversity of linguistic utterance. It was a divine mess. And all of this led to healing and transformation. We need more mess like this.
If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to just pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that he commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that...
There is enough in the world for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.
Never think you need to protect God. Because anytime you think you need to protect God, you can be sure that you are worshipping an idol.
Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren't any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn't be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life's challenges and problems seem to be,...
We too have a priestly calling to the world. Like Christ, we are called to serve and to sacrifice, through a ministry of presence and through prayer. In every leadership situation, there is and ought to be a priestly dimension to our care for others…What burden has...