Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Randy Thompson: Religious Virtuosity — The Spiritual Life on Automatic Pilot 

Growing up is, among other possibilities, a process of learning how to do things. We learn to walk and talk, to tie our shoes, and to tell the difference between the men’s room and the ladies’ room. Much of what happens later in life builds on such foundational skills. For example, we learn to driveContinue reading “Randy Thompson: Religious Virtuosity — The Spiritual Life on Automatic Pilot “

Music Monday: There are years, and there are Years (part 1: 2014)

When it comes to music, there are years, and there are years. 2014 was a year. 2015 looks like it may be a year. Since I didn’t do an end-of-the-year review of music in December, I’ll write about the first today and we’ll focus on the second next Monday. It would be hard to overestimate howContinue reading “Music Monday: There are years, and there are Years (part 1: 2014)”

Sundays with Michael Spencer: March 15, 2015

Note from CM: We are only about a month away from the fifth anniversary of Michael Spencer’s death. Each Sunday this year we are re-posting some of his encouraging, challenging words. Today we present a longer piece that was first published in March 2006, called “Dying We Live: Pat’s Story.” • • • I never knew Pat when heContinue reading “Sundays with Michael Spencer: March 15, 2015”

Saturday Ramblings, March 14, 2015

Nazi cows, coming out poly, and Mexican mummy heads. Welcome to the weekend, imonks. Ready to ramble? Strange Headline of the week: Jury awards $150K to employee who feared scanner as “Mark of the Beast.” The long-time employee was forced to retire after he refused to submit to biometric hand scanning because he feared the scanner would imprintContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, March 14, 2015”

Damaris Zehner: Ponderings on Permaculture

It’s almost spring, and I’m reading about gardening.  It’s my yearly ritual to keep hope alive over the winter.  This winter I’ve focused on permaculture.   I like permaculture because it deals with growing things in a sustainable and sane way, but it has also led me to three related thoughts. Permaculture, I’ve learned, isContinue reading “Damaris Zehner: Ponderings on Permaculture”

Fundamentalist Toxicity

Fundamentalism is a problem, no matter what kind it is. Aurora Dagny (a pseudonym) has written an article for The McGill Daily called, “Everything is problematic,” in which she tells her story about her involvement in radical leftist political groups and how she eventually escaped their unhealthy influence. “There is something dark and vaguely cultish aboutContinue reading “Fundamentalist Toxicity”

Forget “engaging the culture”

Yesterday I read an article called, 3 Ways Christians Will Address Cultural Issues in the Coming Years, by Ed Stetzer. Stetzer is one of those people who sits above the vault of the earth and keeps his eyes on the big picture, on trends. He’s a culture-watcher, a pundit. And few voices are stronger in ourContinue reading “Forget “engaging the culture””

Music Monday: Top Songs for Lent

One of the best resources on the web for pastors, church musicians, and worship leaders is the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. In their Resource Library, I found a page on which four church leaders listed their top ten songs for the Lenten season. You can go to the site and read more about eachContinue reading “Music Monday: Top Songs for Lent”