Tag: Christianity
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Feast of the Ascension
It’s today. I love this picture so much. I’ve learned that the iconography of the disappearing feet is a pretty late medieval development – more on that at Ad Imaginem Dei – and that there is lots more of it. The earlier iconography of the ascension is equally awesome, though. Much more recently, Salvador Dali’s […]
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“Christ is Risen”
Two chants from Orthodox Easter liturgy: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Thy resurrection, O Christ our Savior The angels in heaven sing Enable us on earth to glorify thee in purity of heart about the image (first posted April 11, 2018)
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Reflecting on Deuteronomy 5 1-3, 10 12-13, & 27 1-10
How do we relate ourselves to the covenant we read about in Deuteronomy, the one with “statutes and ordinances” and mitzvot? Especially if we are Christian students of scripture? How do think and feel about this covenant, and how do we regard its provisions – what do we think they’re “about,” how do we think […]
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There a Great Miracle Occurred
Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev. 1 Maccabees 4:59 Last night was the first night of […]
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Reflecting on Acts 10 34-47
What does it mean that God “shows no partiality” – that God is not one to play favorites? Does this sound like good news to us, or not? What does God’s impartiality mean for us, for the way we relate to God, and for the way we try to live – or ought to? This […]
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Russell Moore on “Integrity and the Future of the Church”
Here. Aside from the fact that I agree with him, what struck me in particular was that it was in Plough. And that it was Russell Moore. There are all kinds of ways to strike a Constantinian bargain. Images: “Antiquariat saint pierre de clages valais,” (book shop), An image by Lysippos, CC by SA 3.0, […]
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Beyond the Jargon of Sentimentality
There must be a way to talk about Jesus Christ that is not nauseating and off-putting and meaningless. That’s real and honest and qualifies as communication. That rings true as a message for actual humans, who live here in this world. Surely. Image: NOAA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Humanity
Jesus probably loved birds. Don’t you think? Because lots of people love birds. Jesus seems like he would have been one of those people. I was startled into thinking of this yesterday. The author of a book I’m reading (James Martin, SJ, Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone) quotes Pope Francis talking about how […]
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Open the Eyes of My Heart to Redefinitions
Things collide in church, sometimes. And explode. Mentally. Here’s what I mean: Our pastor is walking us through a series of meditations on the senses during Lent, based on the book Awaken Your Senses by J. Brent Bill and Beth A. Boorum. She is inviting us to pay conscious attention to the presence of God […]
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Reflecting on Luke 6 27-36
We are studying Luke 6:27-36 for Sunday, October 11. This is a portion of a longer teaching text in Luke’s gospel that has come to be known as the “Sermon on the Plain.” [Some notes on the text are here.] Here are some questions we might want to consider or perhaps discuss in class: Jesus […]
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Studying Luke 6 27-36
We are studying Luke 6:27-36 for Sunday, October 11. This is a short section in Luke’s parallel to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, sometimes known as the “Sermon on the Plain.” Here are some notes on this text: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: Our text is from the gospel of Luke, so we’ll want to remind ourselves […]
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Cultivating that Same Mind
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2 We get hung up, our pastor pointed out, when we think […]
Matters of Interpretation 