I had two surprises doing this series. The first was I did not anticipate how comprehensive compassion was going to be. I started out simply seeking a broader Christian approach than nonviolence for resolving our society’s conflicts. Compassion expressed empathy but also a desire to alleviate the situation. It went so far as being willing […]
I decided a good way to bring this series together was to reread Karen Armstrong’s Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. Many regard it as the classic treatment of compassion in our time. My guess is many, if not most of our readers resonate with her position. Armstrong believes compassion is the basic teaching of […]
The most difficult theological task is explaining the atonement. There have been many theories, but none are completely satisfying in our day. I was surprised how frequently I turned to compassion in the past few months when trying to understand the crucifixion. It at least offered clarity missing in the traditional explanations. During the same […]
Right from the beginning, I regarded compassion as more than being emotional about something. I thought it could be a guiding light in overcoming our divisions because it involves empathy that considers what the other person or group thinks. It didn’t take long to realize the term is more complex. In the Bible, compassion not […]
I have been considering how compassion might be a guiding light for overcoming the deep divisions in our church and society. Underlying this quest is the conviction that we are in one of the major periods of change in human history, one that rivals the first-century birth of Christianity, the fourth-century adoption as the religion […]
Early on I realized some people thought I could do no wrong because I was ordained. Of course, others disrespected me for the same reason. Still, I realized I could manipulate this first group if I wanted to. Three of the gospels report Jesus had compassion on these because religious authorities in his day did […]
It was time to start applying the study to our situation, so I tried to imagine what would move Jesus to compassion in our time. After the obvious needs of the sick, injured, and grieving, those neglected and hurt by the economy immediately came to mind. Jesus would certainly have something to say about our […]
I am still amazed by what I learn when writing these studies. It’s hard to believe how much I missed in 86 years! For instance, last week, while pondering the Buddhist image of compassion as longing for oneness, it became very apparent this makes forgiveness a necessity. At about the same time, I found over […]
Arguments about Christian characteristics in the New Testament follow a common pattern. Although they discuss particular specifics, they regard a transformed life as the essential factor. Paul is very explicit about this in Romans 12: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may […]
The language scholars report there are a number of Hebrew words that can be translated as compassion, and beyond that, these same words are also expressed differently depending on the context. Often mercy is used, but also graciousness, healing, steadfast love, and loving-kindness. These frequently describe God and Jesus but, interestingly enough, seldom humans. I […]
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