Seen on Facebook this week: • Hear it again: “God allows trials to come our way to get our relationship back in tune with Him in order to keep us from eternal calamity.” Is that what God is saying to us in these challenging days? Is a text from 2 Chronicles a word from heavenContinue reading “Is God saying something to us?”
Category Archives: Jesus Shaped
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”
Tuesday with Michael Spencer: We’re Still Waiting
Michael and the Boar’s Head Tavern folks once upon a time had an Advent site. Here is a sample from it — one of Michael’s observant reflections about evangelical churchianity in the Christmas season. • • • We’re still waiting Watched a children’s Christmas program in Northern Ky today. It was familiar to me becauseContinue reading “Tuesday with Michael Spencer: We’re Still Waiting”
The glory of God’s people?
You have heard it said…but I have said to you… • Jesus • • • It was one of those small epiphanies that sometimes come in church. It happened to me last Sunday. The congregation was reading Psalm 149 responsively. I love this final group of psalms in the Book of Psalms, sometimes called, “TheContinue reading “The glory of God’s people?”
Monday with Michael Spencer: Standing on My Own Trap Door?
Monday with Michael Spencer Standing on My Own Trap Door? (excerpt from Nov 2008) I can’t recall the author but I once read someone who portrayed evangelical Christians as people using all their abilities to get other people to agree to evangelistic sentences. The sentences mattered very much; more than almost anything else. Correctly wordedContinue reading “Monday with Michael Spencer: Standing on My Own Trap Door?”
The Priority of the Gospels
An ancient Syriac document, allegedly recounting the instruction of the Apostles, enjoins: “The apostles further appointed: At the conclusion of all the Scriptures let the Gospels be read, as being the seal of all the Scriptures and let the people listen to it standing upon their feet: because it is the Gospel of the redemptionContinue reading “The Priority of the Gospels”
Elissa Bjeletich: Contemplating the Incarnation
As we think this week about the incarnate Christ, here is a thought-provoking excerpt from an article by Elissa Bjeletich: Contemplating the Incarnation: Pilgrimage and Sunday of Orthodoxy • • • This is where it happened. When I thought of the Incarnation, I have always thought about how God took on flesh. He could notContinue reading “Elissa Bjeletich: Contemplating the Incarnation”
Monday with Michael Spencer: The Question Is God, the Answer Is Jesus
Monday with Michael Spencer The Question Is God, the Answer Is Jesus An article from another blog Michael authored: Jesus-Shaped Spirituality • • • “Anything that one imagines of God apart from Christ is only useless thinking and vain idolatry.” • Martin Luther It’s been a very interesting day. I can’t tell you much aboutContinue reading “Monday with Michael Spencer: The Question Is God, the Answer Is Jesus”
Sunday with Walter Brueggemann: On Telling Jesus Stories
Sunday with Walter Brueggemann On Telling Jesus Stories The church must endlessly tell its Jesus stories, because in these Jesus stories, we behold the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth. The imposition of holiness does not happen in large, grand, religious, magnificent ways. It happens where a son is welcomed home, whereContinue reading “Sunday with Walter Brueggemann: On Telling Jesus Stories”
Damaris Zehner: Rebranding Christianity
Rebranding Christianity Damaris Zehner Christians have a bad name these days. There have been scandals, of course – abusive priests, sexually immoral Christian leaders, cult-like churches, financial irresponsibility, hypocrisy, and more. There have also been a lot of people in the public eye who have identified themselves as Christian while espousing hateful or ridiculous pointsContinue reading “Damaris Zehner: Rebranding Christianity”
The Internet Monk Archives 