Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Good Works Week III: Let’s Discuss What the Bible Says

It’s time for day three of “Good Works Week” here at IM. Or as we like to call it, “Who can Chaplain Mike offend today?” Sunday, I ticked off some of our Lutheran friends. In my naivete I wasn’t aware that just having a discussion about good works equates to promoting works-righteousness. Heck, I’m notContinue reading “Good Works Week III: Let’s Discuss What the Bible Says”

Good Works Week II: The Work of the People

The Work of the People: A Tale of Two Services And it came to pass that two men died, and their families requested that their funeral services be held in their respective churches. One man was Roman Catholic, the other a member of an evangelical church committed to reformed Protestant doctrine. In the Catholic church,Continue reading “Good Works Week II: The Work of the People”

Good Works Week I: Faith Working through Love

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love. – Galatians 5:2, NRSV For Christ at the last day will not ask how much you have prayed, fasted, pilgrimaged, done this or that for yourself, but how much good you have done toContinue reading “Good Works Week I: Faith Working through Love”

Saturday Ramblings, May 17, 2014

Satanic broccoli, baptizing Martians, and Godzilla as a Christ-figure. Welcome to the weekend, fellow imonkers. First, some lighter news.  Here in Indiana, we are anxiously awaiting the next round of the NBA playoffs, where the valiant and virtuous Pacers battle the Evil Empire (aka, the Miami Heat) for the Eastern Conference championship. And the Oklahoma CityContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings, May 17, 2014”

Random Thoughts about New Life, Church Life, the After Life, and the Myo

I have had this stream of consciousness going through my head this week about many of the discussions that have been going on at Internet Monk and elsewhere. Here are some of the things I have been thinking about. Feel free to join the conversation with whatever thought catches your fancy. 1. A recalled aContinue reading “Random Thoughts about New Life, Church Life, the After Life, and the Myo”

Matthew B. Redmond: The Apostle Paul or the Person in the Pew?

Note from CM: Matthew B. Redmond is a good friend of Internet Monk. He has written for us on this week’s subject, and we have reviewed his book, which holds up as one of the finest, most needed books in recent years. See the links below for those posts. Matthew B. Redmond: The God ofContinue reading “Matthew B. Redmond: The Apostle Paul or the Person in the Pew?”

What Matters: Baptism and Vocation

Thus they made men believe that the profession of monasticism was far better than Baptism. . . . . . . Furthermore, the precepts of God and the true service of God are obscured when men hear that only monks are in a state of perfection. For Christian perfection is to fear God from theContinue reading “What Matters: Baptism and Vocation”

iMonk Classic: On Being Too God-Centered

Note from CM: This week we will be exploring some themes related to the idea of “ordinary Christianity” or “quiet Christianity” — what Michael called here, “Christian humanism.” This essay will provide a good introduction to the week. Read also: Interesting column on the paradoxes of Calvinism. Udo Middleman on “The Islamization of Christianity.” *Continue reading “iMonk Classic: On Being Too God-Centered”