Tag: realism
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Sanctuary
What does it mean to be “close to home”? We’ve been reflecting on the various meanings of “home,” our little congregation, this Advent. And yesterday’s fourth Sunday of Advent focused on the idea of “sanctuary” – “somewhere God’s love dwells freely and abundantly.” How we need that. Need that ourselves. And then, can be that […]
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The State of the “Read Me” Project, 2021
I’m committed to this now. In it for the long haul. I still haven’t read all the books in the tsundoku. I still haven’t achieved “dynamic homeostasis.” But, I have made Measurable Progress! Depending, that is, on how one measures the progress. Here are the data: In 2019, I read 24 books (that counted), and […]
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All The Things
One thing that does not happen “at church” is grading. [This is one of the good things about church.] Grading happens, in my experience, not at church. Although technically, insofar as “the church is the people,” and people [some of us, anyway] periodically do this thing we call “grading,” then grading also happens “at church.” […]
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Fear, Logic, and Hiccups
Patten, Bernard M. Truth, Knowledge, or Just Plain Bull: How to Tell the Difference. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2004. [An installment of the “Read Me” Project.] I have a history with this book. I read it once before, about 10 years ago, at least part-way through, while sitting in the surgery waiting room of […]
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The State of the “Read Me” Project, 2020
A couple of years ago I rashly vowed, not to God but to the internet, that I wouldn’t buy any more books until I’d read the ones I already owned. I say “rashly” because, as I’ve learned over the last two years, the acquisition of books and the reading of books are separate and distinct […]
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Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Although I have picked up the task of typing the order of service for our Sunday morning worship, that doesn’t mean I read the bulletin ahead of time, especially if whoever is planning the service has copied-and-pasted in various blocks of text representing parts of the service. This explains how today’s prayer of confession hit […]
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F – F – F – Feelings …
Bennett, Michael I. and Bennett, Sarah. F*ck Feelings: One shrink’s practical advice for managing all life’s impossible problems. Simon and Schuster, 2015. [An Installment of the “Read Me” Project.] This recent acquisition popped off the shelf at Carmichael’s just a few days before our niece’s wedding. Purely coincidental that, no doubt. Someone* who would pay […]
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Study Notes to Come
We are studying Mark 14:17-24 and Hebrews 8 for Sunday, June 2. [Right on the heels of our study of Romans 11. This will be a good reminder.] Study notes are coming. Life has simply delayed them a bit. With luck, later today. Without it, a bit later than that. Update 5.29.19: Study notes on […]
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A Big Fat Lie About Postmodernism
A year or two ago I took a course online about debunking popular misconceptions about things. What you are NOT supposed to do, when debunking a popular misconception, is start with the popular misconception, and then say that it’s incorrect. What will stick in people’s heads if you do that is the misconception. Research has […]
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Easter Sunday
The sun tried to come out here for a minute or so right around the middle of the day, but mostly it’s been gray, cloudy, and chilly. Hardly surprising for early April, but not the photogenic Easter sunshine of popular imagination. I am OK with this. It’s easy to love a day of brilliant sunshine, when it’s easy to smile and feel happy. But the idea that Easter and its message of invincible life is every bit as real when there’s a thick cloud cover as when the sun is shining is mighty.
Matters of Interpretation 