Chaplainmike

A blast from my so-called “biblical” past

The other day I had a reminder of my past evangelical life and the way I used to think and teach. Watching an online sermon from a local conservative evangelical Bible-teaching church with which I am very familiar, I was struck at the implicit (and explicit) theme that pervaded the message. It wasn’t the specificContinue reading “A blast from my so-called “biblical” past”

Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 10.

Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 10. Chapter 12 is entitled, Scary Mom and the Atheists: How an Enlarged Faith Reveals the Limits of Science. Wallace relates how his mother would put him and his brother to bed, turn off the lights but remain in theContinue reading “Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 10.”

Another Look: Epiphany — the Hidden God Revealed

Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. (Isa. 45:15) No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. (John 1:18) • • • I love the posture and the expression on the faceContinue reading “Another Look: Epiphany — the Hidden God Revealed”

Another Look: A Big Ol’ Losers’ Convention

• Matthew 5:1-12 so many people here to hear him from everywhere, of every kind no religious crowd this one! check out that bloke over there loser if i’ve ever seen one not an ounce of righteousness in him wouldn’t know a tithe from a toothbrush couldn’t find genesis if you handed him a bibleContinue reading “Another Look: A Big Ol’ Losers’ Convention”

On My Winter Playlist…

For all with cabin fever — seasonal or otherwise. Sometimes the best map will not guide you You can’t see what’s round the bend Sometimes the road leads through dark places Sometimes the darkness is your friend Today these eyes scan bleached-out lands For the coming of the outbound stage Pacing the cage… • Songwriter:Continue reading “On My Winter Playlist…”

Sermon for Epiphany I: In Christ (Eph. 1:3-14)

SERMON for Epiphany I (Ephesians 1:3-14) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places… (Ephesians 1.3) • The Lord be with you. On our recent trip to Europe something I hadn’t anticipated happened. One day we took theContinue reading “Sermon for Epiphany I: In Christ (Eph. 1:3-14)”

The IM Saturday Monks Brunch: January 11, 2020

The IM Saturday Monks Brunch: January 11, 2020 READ THIS PLEASE: I promise that this year — election year though it may be — will not find Internet Monk dominated by political themes and commentary. We won’t avoid it either, but when we deal with political matters, I will try to focus primarily on theContinue reading “The IM Saturday Monks Brunch: January 11, 2020”

Friday with Michael Spencer: Holes in the Soul

Friday with Michael Spencer Holes in the Soul Back in the day, I got a psych major in my undergrad work. That’s pretty ironic, believe me, in more ways than you can imagine. I can’t say I learned a great deal, but I did begin a lifelong journey of making observations and drawing tentative conclusionsContinue reading “Friday with Michael Spencer: Holes in the Soul”

Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 9.

Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 9. Chapter 11 is entitled, How to Manufacture a War: History like the Universe, Is Larger and More Interesting Than You Thought. In this chapter Wallace recounts the story of Galileo and his battle with the church as the beginningContinue reading “Review of “Love and Quasars: An Astrophysicist Reconciles Faith and Science” by Paul Wallace, Part 9.”

Wednesday with Michael Spencer: The Face of the Gracious God

Wednesday with Michael Spencer The Face of the Gracious God As always, dedicated to Fr. Robert Capon, a light for me upon the gracious face of God. Religion #1: God is mean, angry and easily provoked. From day 1, we’ve all been a disappointment, and God is–justly–planning to punish us forever. At the last minute,Continue reading “Wednesday with Michael Spencer: The Face of the Gracious God”