Some thoughts:   First: anger is part of how we're wired.  God gave us these strong, sometimes negative emotions--anger, sadness, fear, etc.  The problem isn't that we're feeling something sinful, bad, or wrong when we feel them, the problem is that we frequently don't handle them, process them, the way God intends for us to … Continue reading Anger, Forgiveness, and Prayer, pt 1

So I haven't written much lately. I've gone through long periods of silence on this blog, but A. I've been disciplined at writing regularly this summer, and B. most of those silences were job-related, as I got bogged down with the daily work of the semester. Well, this silence was job related.  As in: I … Continue reading I Haven’t Written Lately, Because …

C'mon, America. We're better than this. 

More goodness from Albuquerque: Original Shame and Original Blessing Friday, July 1, 2016 Christians pinpoint "original sin" in the Genesis story of Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, even though the phrase is not in the Bible. I think a much truer description of Adam and Eve's … Continue reading Richard Rohr’s Meditation, 1 July

My gears have been grinding over this passage for a couple of months now. From The Naked Now: Learning to See As the Mystics See (Kindle ed; chap 10, section "The Two Heels of a Christian Achilles"): This all-or-nothing thinking is a cancer at the heart of our preached message, and it takes two major … Continue reading Richard Rohr on the Common Depiction of God

How the Bible Does (and Doesn't) Work I Imagine that you live in a place where people think the world is flat.  Part of their evidence for believing this is that the Bible says that the world is flat. Well, actually, that's NOT what the Bible says.  In a few places, it refers to "the … Continue reading Parables (Science & Religion 2)

I've been thinking a lot about the intersection of science (particularly evolution and the Big Bang) and Genesis 1.  I've taught Old Testament Survey several times lately, and that (among other things) keeps the topic in mind. I've been trying to think of parables (explanatory stories) that I could use to illustrate good and bad … Continue reading Parables (Science & Religion 1)

You want to see & hear what I partook in last night?  Here's a link to the recap, setlist, and audience recording of the show. My memories of the show: Mayer was great.  His vocals were great.  He played "Jerry-style"--the pins-and-needles major key arpeggios and modal stuff, always bending up to the major instead of the … Continue reading Dead & Company, Cincinnati, 2016-6-16

A question for "Ask Science Mike": I have a question about monogamy and sexuality. There appear to be many reasons that monogamy is preferable to promiscuity. Families are more likely to be stable, which makes society more likely to be stable. Sexually transmitted diseases. Strengthening commitment between partners. Plus there's that whole, "thou shalt not … Continue reading On Monogamy and Sexuality