Links

Just a heads up to a couple of links. If you haven’t noticed there’s a big CC Blogs icon in my sidebar now. I was added to their blog network about a week ago. It is hosted by The Christian Century. It’s pretty cool to have a network like this one [...]

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“Kill the Christians!”

This seems to be the refrain in many parts of the world. Today the New York Times has reminded us again of the intense persecution Christians are facing in several states in India. CNN lets us know of death threats Christians are facing in Iraq. The persecution in India is not new [...]

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Do You Know Your Neighbor?

Love your neighbor as yourself. – Jesus of Nazareth
I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor? – Mother Teresa
The other night I was having a discussion with some of my more “liberal” friends. Among them was someone who was at the Sarah Palin rally [...]

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Good Home(less) Cooking

Jesus did many things in his life, but it seems the Gospel writers thought he spent a lot of time eating! They (whoever “they” are) say that in Luke Jesus is presented as either at a meal, going to a meal or coming from a meal. It was a major part of his [...]

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Singing Heresy Pt. 1

I once had a professor at Pepperdine say, “We sing more heresy in our worship than was banned in all the Church councils.”
While this made me laugh the first time I heard this there is much truth in it. The lyrics to the songs we sing often espouse extremely poor, or unhealthy, theology. [...]

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A Night with International Justice Mission

Last night Des and I attended an event held by International Justice Mission. IJM is an organization we have known about for a few years now, and one I have partnered with in little ways here and there in the past. They are launching a new Freedom Partners program and we were invited.
The [...]

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Words of Wisdom from Desmond Tutu

I have read a lot from and about Desmond Tutu lately since part of my thesis is about him. His life is one of amazing commitment to his God and his people. His theology is one that we all can learn from, especially in light of the ways he was able to live [...]

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Featured on God’s Politics Blog

A little while back I posted a blog concerning torture and a theology of the cross. Well, I revised that post and it has been posted on Sojourners God’s Politics blog. Go check it out:
Torturing the Least of These

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The “Prosperity Gospel” Test

Jonathan Walton, a professor of Religion at UC-Riverside (where I had a campus visit earlier this summer as I explore potential Ph.D. programs), posted a blog a while back that I thought was hilarious and pointedly accurate (please go read it). It provides a brief explanation of the term “prosperity gospel” and then provides [...]

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The Kairos Document

As part of my research for my master’s thesis I am studying Desmond Tutu and his role in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. In that research I have come across the Kairos Document, a type of South African Barmen Declaration that helps to describe a theology of the church’s relationship with the state [...]

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Honoring MLK or Missing the Boat?

My wife and I recently spent our 4th of July weekend in San Diego with another couple. We had a good time trying new restaurants, hanging out by the ocean and getting away for the weekend. Of course, while I was there some great spiritual/ethical dilemma slapped me in the face.
For starters, there [...]

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From Golgotha to Guantanamo

Any theology of the cross must include the inherent critique, within the story of Jesus’ death and crucifixion, of the cruelty of humanity. God in the flesh was spat upon, beaten, tortured and murdered by the people he forgave. The story of the cross reveals the depths humanity can sink to and is [...]

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