Will God ever give you more than you can handle?
Nate Pyle writes: "The past three weeks have been the most difficult I have ever gone through...My questions before God about the reality of what my family has experienced over the last three weeks are the exact same questions anyone would ask."
Ten Cliches Christians Should Never Use
My favourite is number 4. Effective evangelism is the outcome of genuine friendship.
Getting to the Crux of Calvary
Atonement theories are our theological responses to the question of what happened on Calvary. What important transaction, or transactions, occurred during the hours that Jesus hung on the cross? An article by Richard Mouw.
Grace Davie on the Changing Nature of Religion
Professor Davie discusses the place of religion in modern Europe, paying particular attention to the place of the United Kingdom within the European context. In an effort to combat the caricatures that typify media accounts of religion in the contemporary world, Davie discusses the changing nature of religion, in academia and in the public square, and considers the impact of the arrival of new cultures into Europe, whilst reflecting on secular reactions to these.
Holy Ground or Haunted House?
So, what do you think? Should we continue to invest a lot of time in guilting people for not inviting more people to our sanctuaries, or could we be wiser finding other settings to be church, to be a faith community, to others?
Exploring EMERGING CONNECTIONS
As we engage the insights of progressive christian theology, new connections are beginning to emerge. These are exciting times to be in the church. On this page you will find information and links regarding the EMERGING CONNECTIONS that we are discovering at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Newmarket, Ontario. As things emerge we will add to this page, so check back often.
Why are young adults opting out of traditional church services? This blogger has some thoughts.
Some thoughts on the Holy Trinity - By Nadia Bolz Weber
"Perhaps it would be easier for everyone if God were a bit easier to peg down, but that’s not what is revealed in scripture. Here we have a hard to peg down God from the Beginning. Literally. "
"Perhaps it would be easier for everyone if God were a bit easier to peg down, but that’s not what is revealed in scripture. Here we have a hard to peg down God from the Beginning. Literally. "
Agape Doesn’t Mean “Potluck”
"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
Nadia Bolz-Weber reflects on the meaning of agape love.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
Nadia Bolz-Weber reflects on the meaning of agape love.
How to win a culture war and lose a generation
When asked by The Barna Group what words or phrases best describe Christianity, the top response among Americans ages 16-29 was “antihomosexual.” For a staggering 91 percent of non-Christians, this was the first word that came to their mind when asked about the Christian faith.
Podcasts - AFTER ATHEISM: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON GOD AND RELIGION
David Cayley explores the work of five thinkers whose recent books have charted new paths for religion: Richard Kearney (Anatheism: Returning to God After God); John Caputo (The Weakness of God); William Cavanaugh (Migrations of the Holy: God, State and the Political Meaning of the Church); James Carse (The Religious Case Against Belief); and Roger Lundin(Believing Again: Doubt and Faith in a Secular Age).
A new Theology discussion page on Facebook!
This is a place for discussing theology. We anticipate that most of the people who use this site will probably be ELCIC clergy, but this forum is open to everyone with a Facebook account.
NEW! See Pastor Nancy's comments on the Atonement.
NEW! See Pastor Nancy's comments on the Atonement.
Your Body and Your Spirit
Many of us are in the habit of separating our spirituality from our physical selves. It’s done all the time.
Near death, explained
Near Death Experience studies suggest that after physical death, mind and consciousness may continue in a transcendent level of reality that normally is not accessible to our senses and awareness.
Criss-Crossed Christ: Choosing the God Card
I don’t like Christianity—or, rather, what Christianity has largely transmogrified into. And being that I am a Christian, that’s a pretty major problem for me. In effect it feels like some wingnut got a hold of my birth certificate, whited-out my parents’ names and my birthplace, and in their place wrote, say, Frankenstein,Bloody Mary, and Satan’s basement.
Ancient liturgy for scruffy hipsters with smartphones
A profile of Nadia Bolz-Weber and House for All Sinners and Saints
Humanity comes of age - in spite of the idolatry of the word
The 21st century will be seen as humanity's rite of passage. We're growing up as a species, going through the very same process we've all gone through individually. Our biggest challenge? Idolatry of the written word.
What do you think? Is he on to something?
What do you think? Is he on to something?
Taking a Sabbatical from the Church
"I want to suggest that we make taking a sabbatical from church an accepted, if not encouraged, part of the Christian life for lay people."
15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy
Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier.
Rob Bell on Resurrection
A glitzy video production with some solid theology.
KAIROS analysis of the Federal Budget
How do our government's priorities match our struggle for justice for all?
Top Scientist finds no conflict between science and faith
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, talks about his search for truth.
When Bad Emotions Happen to Good Christians
Another good blog by John Shore
The gift of a goat_
National Bishop Susan Johnson in Zambia.
Canadian government prefers to walk in the darkness._
One thing you can count on with Prime Minister Harper is his willingness to make war on gospel values wherever he finds them being put into practice.
Is the Church risk-averse?
Can Adventure be found in the church?
15 Reasons Why I Left the Church
Eight million twenty-somethings have left the church, and it seems like everyone is trying to figure out why.
15 Reasons I Returned to The Church
Dan and I are still in search of a faith community that feels like home, but at the risk of sounding cliché, “not all who wander are lost.” So in that spirit, here are 15 reasons I’ve returned to the Church—with a capital-C:
The Gospel Redefined - article in the Huffington Post: I want to strip away the thousands of years of graffiti that have been painted onto the Gospel, making it into a reasonable code of doctrines. The gospel is not an idea. It is not a belief. It is not a favorite verse.
Here are some resources to help you learn more about the Bible.
The Roman Road - a study of basic Christianity based on Paul's letter to the Romans, the sixth book of the New Testament. Join a community to study online - led by Pastor Nancy.
The Hardest Question - On the edge of scripture interpretation.
Working Preacher - a scholarly commentary on the texts for this week.