Chaplainmike

IM Book Review: Why Many Are “Torn”

Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate by Justin Lee Jericho Books (2012) * * * What do you say about a man who, by his life experience, demolishes all the categories you have constructed in your mind to explain some aspect of reality? That is the question Christians who hold particular views ofContinue reading “IM Book Review: Why Many Are “Torn””

Advent II: Sinai’s Last Thunder

ADVENT IIC Malachi 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79 Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6 Prayer of the Day Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns withContinue reading “Advent II: Sinai’s Last Thunder”

Saturday Ramblings 12.8.12

Greetings, iMonks. It’s time once again to clean up the leftovers from this week, a week when Chaplain Mike returned from his frivolous studies to get down to the important stuff: enlightening and educating us. I may be the abbot, but Chaplain Mike is the Father Prior of the InternetMonk iMonastery. His return was greetedContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 12.8.12”

iMonk Classic: Riff on “The End of Advent”

Christmas has devoured Advent, gobbled it up with the turkey giblets and the goblets of seasonal ale. Every secularized holiday, of course, tends to lose the context it had in the liturgical year. Across the nation, even in many churches, Easter has hopped across Lent, Halloween has frightened away All Saints, and New Year’s hasContinue reading “iMonk Classic: Riff on “The End of Advent””

Nightsounds

One of the sponsors of InternetMonk is Broken Road Radio. BRR is an internet radio station playing “music for grown ups.” Jim Park hosts a live morning show and then keeps us going throughout the day with a great selection of music, some old, some new, always fun. Jim has asked me to host aContinue reading “Nightsounds”

Eschatological Me

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal. 2:20, KJV) You died, and your life is hidden withContinue reading “Eschatological Me”

It Always Comes Back to the Ending

Advent is about eschatology. That five dollar theological term simply means “the study of the eschaton” (the last day). The Bible divides time into two great epochs: this present age and the age to come. We live in the now; we await the not yet. Scripture anticipates the end from the start. When Genesis 1:1Continue reading “It Always Comes Back to the Ending”

IM Book Review: An Apocalyptic Luther

Luther: Man Between God and the Devil Heiko A. Oberman Yale University Press (1989) * * * If you want to read a biography of Martin Luther, it is probably wise to start with one that outlines his life and times in fairly standard terms. I would recommend Roland Bainton’s classic, Here I Stand: AContinue reading “IM Book Review: An Apocalyptic Luther”

Sabbatical? Ha!

Sabbatical? Ha! or, What I learned on my summer November “vacation” First, let me say, it’s good to be back. Helpful as it is to take a breather once in awhile, I miss the conversation. Actually, I’m not sure I could have participated anyway. I’ll explain in a moment. Second, thanks to Jeff and theContinue reading “Sabbatical? Ha!”

Advent I: Apocalypse Then. What about Now?

ADVENT IC Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-10 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 Prayer of the Day Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength and save us from the threatening dangers of our sins, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Continue reading “Advent I: Apocalypse Then. What about Now?”