by Harvey Brown It’s been quite a little saga for me the last few years. If you were to ask me, “How are you?”, I would have said, “I’m doing great.” Maybe it’s my natural optimism. Or a built in denial mechanism. But most of the time I really do think I’m doing fine….
by Henry E. Neufeld Over the last few weeks U. S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump has complained a great deal how the rules of the Republican Party are unfair and he is thereby being denied delegates that are rightfully his. Despite the evidence that the rules may actually be helping him, many voters are…
by Steve Kindle One of my “Pastoral Theology” professors remarked, “You can never underestimate the biblical illiteracy of a congregation.” This has proven true in all of the congregations I have served from Fundamentalist to Progressive. (Yes, I was once a Fundamentalist.) It is a continuing problem. I just completed nearly a year leading a…
by Edward W. H. Vick (a) The term ‘authority’ refers to a relationship. It is a relational term. The term, like ‘revelation,’ points to a two-term relationship. Someone or something has authority over or for someone else. Someone reveals himself to someone else. Someone acknowledges the authority of another. Someone understands what is revealed….
by Drew Smith We live in a restless and discontented age. Each day we are confronted with problems and circumstances that test our peace and contentment. We worry about financial problems, health problems, and family problems. We are anxious about raising our children, succeeding at work, and maintaining a certain standard of living. Moreover,…
by Rev. Dr. Bob LaRochelle What is Adult Education like in your congregation? How is the level of participation? Are the topics you study engaging, and does their complexity challenge you to think deeply? Do you find yourself surprised or even shocked by what you are learning? I have worked in various capacities in…
by Allan R. Bevere Several years ago, I was in Cuba on a teaching mission. One afternoon, during some free time, our hosts took us to a mountain on the Isle of Youth. There was a path up the side of the mountain, and those of us who were able and willing, were invited…
by Joel Watts I’ve been thinking a lot lately about suffering. From time to time, in classes I teach the question is raised, “Why does God allow suffering?” To that end, I’ve turned to writing a short work that I want to use in those times. This is part of it. Theosis (becoming a sharer…
by Herold Weiss Parents can be quite surprised when they find out that a child of theirs did some horrendous thing. They had constant personal, objective interactions with their child, but one day out of the blue, as they see it, they discover that they did not know at all who this child of…
by David Moffett-Moore Here I sit, looking out of the window, busy city streets below and in the distance, the beautiful rolling landscape of Ireland, home of the friendliest people in the world. The reason I am here is because I had a stroke while leading a group of fellow pilgrims. Ireland is a…
