Tag: the church

With

A clay icon called "with" by the author in bas relief I’m not convinced that Jesus would have made a very good priest.  I’m actually not sure He would have even chosen to be one.  I mean, when we read about Jesus, his encounters with the clergy of his day...

Contradiction

Contradiction is the intersection between the two arms of the cross which we humans experience in the days of our lives as we suffer and hope. We hope for a church full of joy and yet so often suffer in a church full of meetings.  We hope for people gathered...

The death of our church and the life of our God

Might it be true that the great threat of God becoming human, as a baby who becomes an anarchist rather than a priest, is that in the incarnation God threatens the church and her power-mongers, annually? I was speaking to a young Christian from a non-denominational church last week at...

the regular saints – the modern ones

What is at stake anyways?  As the church changes in the new society being built, what will change and what will stay the same and how low or high are the stakes? This is a good week to wonder about the saints of our church and to wonder if they...

something new

The death of patriarchy in our society and our church has begun, though slowly.  White men will no longer be in charge. Women will begin to take over and systems which have prevailed for centuries will topple.  Men’s insecurities will no longer motivate what happens on our planet and perhaps...

sticky touch and a kiss

“Touch. It is touch that is the deadliest enemy of chastity, loyalty, monogamy, gentility with its codes and conventions and restraints. By touch we are betrayed and betray others ... an accidental brushing of shoulders or touching of hands ... hands laid on shoulders in a gesture of comfort that...

The Blues

Fortnum and Mason was founded just after 1700 and is one of my favorite ships in London.  One of my great loves is stationary, and they have a fine selection.  They also have demerara sugar which I like in my tea. And marzipan.  And a good english cream tea.  And...

a nose knows

The elephant I lived with for a few weeks in the mountains of Thailand while on sabbatical liked to look at me.  The other mahout made fun of me and called me a Thai name which meant something like “gazer” though I have a sneaking suspicion that it was a...

pinks and blues

This mosaic image of Jesus in The National Cathedral has long been one of my favorites.  But since moving to Denver, it has taken on a new importance because the pinks and blues surrounding Jesus are easily recognizable to anyone who lives here.  This is an evening Denver sky. We...

Sabbath and self-worship

  This is an image from Prague.  I took the photo walking from my home, into the city the day I was hit by a train.  I remember, now, how hard I was working to see Prague - how hard I was working to see every museum, every park, every...