So, my dear Unitarian Universalist Christians, see if this sounds familiar. You let your Christian faith be known at church or fellowship or what-have-you and someone asks “how does that work?” or “have you considered the United Church of Christ?” — or something actively negative, suggesting that you shouldn’t be there at all, as if… Continue reading We’re not here for you to validate us…
Category: Christian faith
Come hear me preach, Sunday, April 26
I’m glad to be invited back to preach at Universalist National Memorial Church this Sunday. Using images of the Good Shepherd, I will (try to) explore what it mean to be a Christian in a pluralistic age, with readings from the Gospel of John and the Acts of the Apostles.
All Souls Miami to reboot
Some good news, this morning! Happy Pentecost! Per Kenneth Claus, their minister: All Souls Miami votes unanimously to re boot…..some of the people who attended this AM…Wild Lime Center….UUA affiliation also unanimously reaffirmed
What is it we become a member of?
Here’s another case one of those Facebook walled-garden discussions that really needs amplification and a public airing. The subject is membership. The issue is on what basis can a congregation admit members? And in particular, by whose authority and volition. Is a person’s membership largely the will of the person who wishes to join? Or… Continue reading What is it we become a member of?
Today is Ascension
Later. What? It’s Wednesday? Long week. Tomorrow is Ascension. Long-time readers know that I love the feast of the Ascension, when Christ took leave from his followers and figuratively lifted up humanity. Leaving the office just now, I chatted with Office Mate, with whom the subject turned to how well parsed the Wikipedia entry for… Continue reading Today is Ascension
Reading on Swedenborg
Got the brand new Swedenborg introduction — to help with my preaching gig, and was tickled to see the author Gary Lachman, may be better known to some as a founder and bassist for Blondie. Here’s an article (“Why You Should Know Emanuel Swedenborg“) he wrote recently for Huffington Post Religion.
Today is Holy Cross Day
Today, September 14, is Holy Cross Day though some churches put it at other times. It marks the re-discovery of the True Cross by Helena, Constantine’s mother. It is a capital-B Big Deal in some churches. Its reach in Protestantism, however, has been limited. The observance is about the cross itself and (unlike Good Friday)… Continue reading Today is Holy Cross Day
Ascension Day 2011
As I mentioned the other day when the elect weren’t raptured into the heavens, I prefer to mark our heavenward walk on Ascension Day, which is today. It is rich and complex with meanings and associations. Just one: that Jesus being raised up — this time in glory towards heaven — both pulls him out… Continue reading Ascension Day 2011
Holy Saturday 2011
Holy Saturday touches my imagination because its the time that — in some strains of Christian theology — the dead Christ visits and ransoms from hell the holy dead. To my Universalist mind, it must have seemed more like a cosmic jailbreak (though I’m not one to put divine actions in a linear timeline.) Something… Continue reading Holy Saturday 2011
Recommended Reformation Day reading
Greetings, readers — My husband, Jonathan Padget and I are back from a deeply restful and energizing vacation in southern New England. Expect much of the blogging in the days to come to reflect this. But today, among other observances, is Reformation Day. Ours is a reformation faith; indeed when examined perhaps Protestant if not… Continue reading Recommended Reformation Day reading