Tag: discernment
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Insight
There was an argument, that went on for a long time, between Mary and Martha. “Relax, take it easy, everything is going to be fine.” “We’ve got a lot of work to do, and it needs to be done right, and not at the last minute.” “Worry is a waste of time.” “I’m not worrying,…
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Studying Jeremiah 38 14-23
We are studying Jeremiah 38:14-23 for Sunday, May 16. This is a portion of “Baruch’s account” of the life of the prophet Jeremiah, during the final siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the aftermath. [Here are some questions about the text.] Here are my notes on the text: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: The book of…
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Reflecting on Mark 6 1-6
We are studying Mark 6:1-6 for Sunday, July 19; this is the story of Jesus’s visit to his hometown, as told by Mark. [Here are some notes on the text.] Here are some questions we might want to think about or discuss in class as we think about what the text has to say to…
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High-Stakes Disagreement
Usually, when people disagree with me outside of church, they just tell me I’m stupid or crazy or am making a colossally bad decision, or they call me names. They don’t usually add that my faith in God is insubstantial, or that I must not be able to read the Bible, or that I’m going…
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Questions for Reflection and Discussion – Numbers 13 1 – 14 10
We are studying Numbers 13:1-14:10 for Sunday, September 22, focusing on Numbers 13:25-28 and 14:5-10. This is the beginning of the story of the spies, and the Israelites’ initial refusal to enter the Promised Land. [My notes on the text are here.] Here are a couple of questions about the text, which we might want…
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What Kind of Free Do We Want to Be?
Alexander J. McKelway. The Freedom of God and Human Liberation. Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1990. [An Installment of the “Read Me” Project; discussions of earlier chapters of McKelway’s book are here, here, and here.] Alexander J. McKelway concludes his reflections on The Freedom of God and Human Liberation with a consideration of human freedom: what…
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“Keep the Pastor Nominating Committee in Your Prayers”
A day or so ago, while looking for something else, I came across this “Prayer for the PNC.” Because Presbyterians like to do things “decently and in order,” we have a step-by-step process for seeking and calling a new pastor after the former pastor says “Yes!” to a new call to somewhere else. One of…
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On Being One of Them
Late last night, I sent the email to the student who had hoped to change the grade in the class that was over in June. No, there is no good way to do this, I finally said. No, I can’t. Which is true. But not simply true. “The faculty member always has some discretion.” That…
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Aristotle’s Question
The Big Question of the Humanities is “what is the good life?” I used to think it was primarily an academic question, but I’m old now, and I am learning from experience that it can take the form of an existential question: “Have I lived a good life?” “Have I been living a good life?”…
Matters of Interpretation 