Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Mourning and Grieving in Community

By Chaplain Mike Note: The following is a transcript of a talk I gave to our hospice team a few years ago. As I promised earlier this week, we will be having several posts on the subject of grief and caring for the bereaved in the next short while. This particular piece shows one ofContinue reading “Mourning and Grieving in Community”

Brueggemann on the Genre of Gen 1-11

Here is another thought-provoking quote, giving the reader of Genesis 1-11 something to consider when approaching the text. This comes from Walter Brueggemann’s fine commentary on Genesis in the Interpretation series (Genesis: Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching). Comment needs to be made on the matter of creation, world-beginnings and attempts to correlateContinue reading “Brueggemann on the Genre of Gen 1-11”

It Don’t Mean a Thing without that Historical Ring?

By Chaplain Mike In addition to issues of interpretation with regard to Genesis 1 and the portrayal of creation it gives, (which have been covered in detail here in previous posts—check the archives), Young Earth Creationists insist that only their literal view of the Adam and Eve story in Genesis 2-3 is consistent with anContinue reading “It Don’t Mean a Thing without that Historical Ring?”

Guest Post: John Armstrong asks, “How Otherworldly Should I Be?”

Note from Chaplain Mike: Recently, we had a series of posts on the subject of Spiritual Formation. One point I made in those articles is that “the Christian life” (so-called) is not some life that is lived on a different plane, but it is this life, this ordinary, human life that every person born intoContinue reading “Guest Post: John Armstrong asks, “How Otherworldly Should I Be?””

Voices of Friends around the Web

By Chaplain Mike On the sidebar of Internet Monk, we have an extensive and ever-growing list of friends’ blogs and good websites. We encourage you to check them out. We think you’ll agree that they are worth your while. In this post, I will survey a few interesting items I’ve read on some of themContinue reading “Voices of Friends around the Web”

An Unprecedented Opportunity: “God in America”

By Chaplain Mike I have not been able to watch much of Frontline’s “God in America” series on PBS in recent days. But I definitely plan to do so. The little that I have seen was remarkable television, even more so because of the pervasive drought of thoughtful religious discussion on the airwaves. I hopeContinue reading “An Unprecedented Opportunity: “God in America””

Glimpse at a Grief Support Group

By Chaplain Mike One of the responsibilities of a hospice chaplain in our agency is to lead grief support groups. Hospices organize these groups as a part of their bereavement programs, to provide continuing care to those who have lost loved ones. Other organizations also provide these kinds of support services—churches, hospitals, funeral homes, etc.Continue reading “Glimpse at a Grief Support Group”