Chaplainmike

Preparing for the New Church Year (1)

Note from CM: In 2010, we did a series on “Church Year Spirituality.” November is the month when we complete the annual liturgical cycle and prepare for a new Church Year, which begins the first Sunday in Advent (Nov. 30 this year). For the next four Sundays, I will run these posts again to helpContinue reading “Preparing for the New Church Year (1)”

Saturday Ramblings: Nov 1, 2014

SATURDAY RAMBLINGS: November 1, 2014 Welcome to our new format for Saturday Ramblings. Bigger pictures, more quotes, fewer editorial comments so that you can respond to words directly from the horses’ mouths, a summary of the week that was and is from Chaplain Mike’s perspective — I hope you’ll find that it’s a veritable potpourri ofContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings: Nov 1, 2014”

Lead Us Not Into Temptation… But Deliver Us From Evil

There have been more than a few comments this week about the Devil, demons, and evil. All of which started me thinking of a recent study I had done with a small group on the Lord’s prayer. The Lord’s prayer is familiar to all of us. Many of us have said it a thousand times or more.Continue reading “Lead Us Not Into Temptation… But Deliver Us From Evil”

Screwtape on the Existence of Demons

Whenever we consider the subject of demonology, it is hard to ignore the contributions of C.S. Lewis. In the modern era, few have stimulated the imagination with regard to the spiritual realm as much as the author of The Screwtape Letters. The book, dedicated to his friend and colleague J.R.R. Tolkien, begins with two quotes:Continue reading “Screwtape on the Existence of Demons”

Luther: Living in a “Halloween” World

And though this world with devils fill’d Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath will’d His truth to triumph through us. • Martin Luther, trans. Frederick Hedge Brother Martin lived in God’s presence, but they were generally three, for the Devil was seldom absent. • G.W. Foote • •Continue reading “Luther: Living in a “Halloween” World”

Another Look: Writers Roundtable on Halloween

Note from CM: In 2010, Jeff Dunn solicited responses from our IM writers on the subject of Halloween. We had a great discussion, and I thought it worthy of repeating this week. • • • Boo! Ok, so that didn’t scare you. Maybe this will. I have five of the six iMonk writers sitting aroundContinue reading “Another Look: Writers Roundtable on Halloween”

iMonk Classic: The Annual Halloween Rant (one of them)

As October 31st looms, it’s time for true confessions. I grew up among Southern Baptist fundamentalist Baptists. The KJV-only, women can’t wear pants, twenty verses of “Just As I Am,” Jerry Falwell, Jack Chick, twice a year revival kind of fundamentalist Baptists. We were serious about things like beer. By sheer quantity of attention inContinue reading “iMonk Classic: The Annual Halloween Rant (one of them)”

You can take the boy out of evangelicalism . . .

You can take the boy out of evangelicalism, but you can’t take the evangelical out of the boy. I’m coming to terms these days with the fact that I’m a spiritual mongrel, and one of the strong components of my spiritual makeup is my evangelical heritage (in the modern sense of the word — theContinue reading “You can take the boy out of evangelicalism . . .”

Saturday Ramblings – Oct 25, 2014, Scary edition

I’m so tired of the ranting that’s going on in cyberspace these days it’s scary. That’s right. I’ve had it with all the attention being given to that pastor in Seattle who resigned last week, and then showed up at a big conference where he talked about being a victim. Just seeing him sitting nextContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings – Oct 25, 2014, Scary edition”

A Short Reflection on the Week that Was

Canada, or at least its institutions were attacked this week. In two separate incidents two soldiers were killed. One of them Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was from my home town and was a friend of a friend. Although my son didn’t know him, they did have a number of mutual friends. My facebook feed is filled withContinue reading “A Short Reflection on the Week that Was”