So forgiveness pre-requires understanding the mistakes of the past? here hear re this opposing this me-first, America-first, white-first, male-first approach>…
Weekly lessons in theology and public life • Since 2011
Tag: featured
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Lesson 5: Evil Pervades (Genesis 6:1-8:19)
Read MORE: Lesson 5: Evil Pervades (Genesis 6:1-8:19)It seems strange that Noah and the Ark ( Genesis 8:20-9:28) has become a beloved children’s Bible story. You have to question what we are teaching our young people. Sadly, it is usually presented as a precaution about being good…
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Lesson 4: Consequences of Humanity’s Failure
Read MORE: Lesson 4: Consequences of Humanity’s FailureGenesis maintains when we are not in a proper relationship with God, all other relationships are corrupted. That pertains to humans as well as all other parts of the creation. The narrative labels violence as the big sin. Humans were…
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Lesson 2: Humanity’s Task (Genesis 1:16-31 and especially 2: 15-17)
Read MORE: Lesson 2: Humanity’s Task (Genesis 1:16-31 and especially 2: 15-17)Although the ancient stories felt all parts of creation were good and worked together according to God’s design, they focused especially on the relationship between the divine and the human. In the second creation story, the human was to till…
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Lesson 1: Creation, Not Accident (Genesis 1 and 2)
Read MORE: Lesson 1: Creation, Not Accident (Genesis 1 and 2)An honest reading of the creation stories quickly reveals the authors are not interested in particulars. Once you acknowledge that there are two very different, even contrasting accounts right next to each other, you recognize the editors are not trying…
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Introduction
Read MORE: IntroductionLet’s do a series on what Genesis has to say about our present situation. We tend to think of the Bible as beginning with the Genesis creation and ending with Revelation’s last days. Then we remember it is really a…
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Lesson 19: Summary
Read MORE: Lesson 19: SummaryPerhaps it is time to wind up this little experiment. Five months ago, I set out to discern some marks of a gospel community. At the time, I was not sure where I was going. People kept telling me the…
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Lesson 18: Communion
Read MORE: Lesson 18: CommunionThe church has always maintained that one place where the Risen Christ encounters us is in the Eucharist. In the gospels, Jesus was constantly sharing meals and this has continued with his coming to us in the Communion meal. One…
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Christmas
Read MORE: ChristmasIt’s Christmas time. Time out for one of my favorites. “The Oxen” by Thomas Hardy Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock. “Now they are all on their knees,” An elder said as we sat in a flock By the…
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Lesson 17: Eating Together, part 2
Read MORE: Lesson 17: Eating Together, part 2After receiving the response to last week’s lesson, I decided to comment further on eating together as a mark of the church. It was an easy decision as I think it addresses one of the biggest spiritual problems in our…
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Lesson 16: Eating Together
Read MORE: Lesson 16: Eating TogetherAnother mark of the church evident in the Gospels is eating together. Luke points to that in Acts when he describes the early church worshipping at the temple on the Sabbath and sharing meals with each other in their homes…
Recent Comments
An extremely timely topic. Thanks, Fritz!
yes we need to forgive our leaders yet make sure they do the right thing – which they aren’t.