Chaplainmike

iMonk: The “Magic Book” Approach to the Bible

From the classic Michael Spencer post, Magic Books, Grocery Lists and Silent Messiahs: How rightly approaching the Bible shapes the entire Christian Life * * * I believe most Christians use the word “inspiration” to mean “the Bible is a magic book, where God speaks to us in unusual ways.” By this they mean thatContinue reading “iMonk: The “Magic Book” Approach to the Bible”

Which Story Is My Story?

Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave somethingContinue reading “Which Story Is My Story?”

Hmm…Signs of the Times?

Hmm… It has been quite a week. I wonder if we are seeing “signs of the times”? A Roman Catholic Pope resigns for the first time in over 600 years. G20 global finance leaders gather in Moscow (and a meteor explodes in Russian skies — coincidence?) Another person in Great Britain has contracted a potentiallyContinue reading “Hmm…Signs of the Times?”

Saturday Ramblings 2.16.13

Greetings, earthlings. Looks like we survived yet another brush with destiny. And asteroid with a name like DA14 drove by the neighborhood, but decided not to stop in to visit, unlike the meteorite that moved in like a loud-mouthed brother-in-law in Russia early yesterday morning. If we were going to be destroyed by an asteroid,Continue reading “Saturday Ramblings 2.16.13”

Who Prays the Psalms?

Who prays the Psalms? David (Solomon, Asaph, etc.) prays, Christ prays, we pray. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible * * * The psalms are the prayers of Christ. This is the conclusion to which Dietrich Bonhoeffer came. When we pray them Bonhoeffer says, we enter into the prayers of ourContinue reading “Who Prays the Psalms?”

Quo Vadis?

Because of the announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he is resigning from the office of Bishop of Rome and successor of St. Peter, Jeff has asked me for my view of his theology, how that has affected the Church, and how the next pope’s theology might affect the Church. There are very short answersContinue reading “Quo Vadis?”

Ash Wednesday with Pancho and Lefty

Sometimes I don’t know where this dirty road is taking me Sometimes I can’t even see the reason why I guess I’ll keep on a-gamblin’, lots of booze and lots of ramblin’ It’s easier than just a-waitin’ ’round to die – Townes Van Zandt Our good friend Matt Redmond just wrote a poignant piece about howContinue reading “Ash Wednesday with Pancho and Lefty”

A Companion in Shipwreck

The following is from a remarkable piece by Rod Dreher called, “Ecumenism And Life’s Shipwreck” at The American Conservative. In it he writes about how the Roman Catholic sex scandal “broke [his] spiritual and intellectual pride as a Christian.” The passage reproduced here today quotes Tolkien on the subject of having a “chivalrous” view ofContinue reading “A Companion in Shipwreck”

Martha on Lent

Lent is coming! When I was young, I was confident in what Lent was and what it meant. Now I’m older, it gets more mysterious and complex. This week marks the start of the forty-day (plus Sundays) period which is one of the two seasons in the liturgical year where the purple of penitence isContinue reading “Martha on Lent”

LCMS President Apologizes

Note: this is a follow up to last week’s post, Ridiculous Religiosity. Below is an excerpt from a pastoral letter and apology from President Harrison of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod regarding the Newtown, Connecticut affair. Pastor Rob Morris, an LCMS pastor in Newtown, had been asked by Pres. Harrison to apologize for participating inContinue reading “LCMS President Apologizes”