What basic Christian tenet, doctrine, or word have you struggled to “translate” into plain speech? That question is part of an essay prompt I’m considering for a July writing workshop with Kathleen Norris at the Collegeville Institute at St. John’s Abbey and University in Minnesota. Can you help me think out loud on this one? [...]
Acts 8:26-40, Castrating Our Customs
An exegetical essay of mine went up today at ON Scripture, a wonderful project of public theology hosted by Odyssey Networks. The project has a partnership with Huffington Post’s Religion work, so it also appears at that site. I’m going to start regularly posting some essays at my new Huffington Post portal which, honestly, is [...]
Page rage: Kindle vs. iPad vs. dead tree book reading
You may have heard: technology is changing the way we live, even the way we read. I’m no exception. I read a lot so there’s much for me to like about the transition to ebooks, but while I love my kindle and iPad for some types of reading, don’t stop the presses on my account quite yet. The old school paper technology still has a lot going for it in my book.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It
The Fargo newspaper, the Fargo Forum, featured The Project F-M‘s ministry Theology Pub in today’s paper. The headline reads, “Holy happy hour: Project F-M reaches out to young adults to discuss spiritual issues” and boy is it a joy to see well-written local religion coverage. John Lamb’s reporting was thorough, thoughtful, inquisitive, and fair. Also, [...]
A few good plugs
I’m happy to announce three cool things on A Wee Blether today. Yes. Count them: one, two, three! The Presbyterian Outlook, an independent magazine reporting on issues of interest to the PC(USA), is looking for two new part-time employees. And yes, you can even work from the comfort of your own home! I know I’m [...]
On not obacerating myself
Whew, my stint at a regular blogger for the CENTURY Blog has come to a (regularly scheduled) end. It was lovely, but by the final days of the two+ month partnership I did feel my blethering had become too churchy and pastor-focused. Come January, I’ll begin a different but related stint with another great organization [...]
On the blissful insanity of reading for two hours every day
In a recent Presbyterian Outlook guest editorial, pastor Roy W. Howard argues that pastors should read books for two hours each day. Howard, a friend of mine and former student of Fred Craddock, received such advice in seminary. Craddock told his students, often to their amazement writes Howard, that as “pastors they must set aside [...]
Writing published elsewhere
Two essays of mine went live this week at sites you may find interesting. – At the High Calling Blogs, I published a piece entitled “Not What, But How” on vocation and our culture’s ways of speaking of work. – At WorkingPreacher.org, I published a piece entitled, “How Twitter Makes Me a Better Pastor.” That [...]
Blethering anew
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re enjoying my new blog design from Press75.com. This design would not have been possible without the help of my buddy, Adam Walker Cleaveland at Pomomusings.com, who rescued me from the muck and mire of a badly orchestrated switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. Suffice it to say: I screwed [...]
