Map of religion in the U.S.

Interesting map... I am curious what "christian" in yellow refers to?

Click on image to see full size.


Link

It came upon a midnight bath...

Mmmmm, this seems like a bit overkill on celebrating Christmas. I mean, I like nativity scenes and all, but it seems a little weird to have one floating around you in a bubble bath!



HT: Calacirian

Our church in US News & World Report

US News & World Report did an article this week on the emerging church movement in the United States. The article features Common Table, the small faith community that Maranda, Kieran, and I have been a part of for over two years. This type of publicity is certainly not something our discreet group aspires to, but it is interesting to see a national publication's take on our small community. To their credit the journalist arrived early and stayed late, as well as interviewing one of our team leaders.

While I don't expect the emergent movement to become the norm for U.S. christianity, I am optimistic that the emergent emphasis on freedom, authenticity, relationship, the arts, and service, will impact the greater christian body. However, even if that doesn't happen, places like common table (and many other like-minded communities), serve an important role within the faith community by providing a sanctuary for those who don't comfortable fit in a traditional church setting.

Check out the US News & World Report article HERE.

Pastor Wanted

This is a very sad, but true to life satire of how Pastor's are viewed in the traditional church. As most of you know, I grew up as a PK (pastor's kid), and many of these ring far too true. TBNN did miss a few though, particularly janitorial work and church finances (maybe that is only in a small church?).

It is a shame that many churches still operate in such a way that responsibility for the spiritual health of the community is placed on a pastor(s). Instead of being vibrant fellowships for spiritually healthy and growing individuals, many churches are more like nursing homes for the spiritually tepid and infirm. Of course, at the end of the day, who gets the blame? I have a particularly low regard for denominations that treat Pastor's as dispensable, discarding them when they are no longer useful (normally due to age). The role of a pastor is very similar to the role of a therapist/counselor, and should only be enhanced with age (experience and wisdom). Clearly churches that want young, energetic Pastor's are looking for something other than spiritual guidance.

Happy Easter!

"Good" Friday

I have never really understood the name "Good Friday." While I understand that the intent is to look forward to the resurrection event, thus a "good" death on the cross, I still think that a better name would be "Death Friday," or perhaps "Mourning Friday." It is a day to think about the death of Jesus two thousand years ago, a true tragedy from any perspective, as an innocent man was horribly killed. For those from the Christian tradition, it is a day where God's incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ ended in death, a death that for two days seemed devastatingly final.

Today is also a "good" day to reflect on death and mourning in our own lives. This is something I tend to avoid, as such reflection can be rather painful and deeply saddening. Indeed, I have even been known as someone who avoids most funerals, as the profound helplessness that overcomes me is often too much to bear. I think of my own life today, there have been some deaths in my life as of late, both literally and metaphorically. Some physical deaths that come to mind today are my friends Mike and Stacy's son William, who died at four months of age last year. I think of my good friend, Dale Rocheleau, a fit and cheerful man and father in his forties who passed away from a heart attack the evening after I visited with him. I think of a high school friend, George Ritchey, who died in a car accident a few years after high school. I think of Erica Pierson, the daughter of family friends who passed away from a mysterious liver disease before the age of 30. I think of Jacques Deale, the previous pastor at the small Nazarene church that our family moved to in 1995, how he said goodbye to his three teenage boys as he lay dying of cancer.

There have been other deaths in my life. Some dying that has occurred on the inside as I have struggled with depression, my own character flaws, and dreams that no longer seem possible. Right now these things seem to pale in comparison to the tragedies I listed above, but I would be hasty to pass these over, as they leave a profound and lingering mark on my life. Death of any kind has a way of crystalizing things for those left behind. Physical death causes family and friends to remember and cherish the aspects of the person who has passed away. Internal death leads one to determine what has survived, what can be healed, and what is gone. It is a reorientation of sorts, perhaps a preparation for new growth of some kind. But today I hesitate to find the silver lining. Instead I recognize death for what it is, an utterly terrible loss.

Blogging the Old Testament

This is a fresh look at the Old Testament by an admittedly lax Jew, who re-encountered these scriptures after many years and was surprised to find the drama, intrigue, and downright scandal contained within these books. For my readers who are of a Christian or Jewish persuasion, his blogging is quite interesting and perhaps even provides a new perspective on some classic passages that have grown stale due to re-inforced perceptions from our childhood. For those of my readers from other or no religious tradition, this unabashed look at these ancient writings makes for a fascinating read.

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Theology Corner

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