Freedom. It’s one of, if not the major thrust of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. It’s the stuff of legendary speeches. It’s the stuff of battle cries. After all “give me freedom or give me death”. And freedom resonates. It resonates because it is a beautifully important reality if we are to realize our potential […]
Not Even
It would seem to make good sense. Just give in a little. Just find a middle ground. Let people practice their faith with a little more ritual involved. People do think differently after all. Yet, for Paul, there can be no giving in on this one point. We have been set free. No longer are […]
June 20th Community on Tap
When you pick up a science textbook, a book on economic theory or the latest Harry Potter book, you approach them all differently. You wouldn’t read a science textbook as a work of pure fiction (unless you read Genesis CH 1-3 as literal of course). So, let’s admit that when we pick up the scriptures to […]
Romans Road
Galatians 1:13-24 is this week’s text, Paul writes of his transformation. In his faithful response to the Divine call he has been transformed, creatively resurrected into newness of life. As I’ve tossed around ideas about salvation, redemption and transformation I keep coming back to the “Romans Road.” It was the plan to salvation we used when […]
Gospel.
GospelWhat a complex word… at least it is now. What is “The Gospel”? Now that’s an even more complex group of words, with an oft-complex definition. In its original context “gospel” didn’t have such a complex countenance. It just meant “good news”. Yet, somehow through the years it’s become an extra terrestrial of sort. It’s […]
Paul, Galatians and DNA
Galatians is a fascinating text. First off, Paul comes off as desperate. Desprerate to prove that his version of the gospel is right and those who are preaching a rival gospel are wrong. Desperate to ensure that the communities that he founded remain faithful to the message he preached to them. Desperate to ensure that […]
Community on Tap
I remember lying there, dead, with blood oozing from the gash stretched across my forehead. The steam from the engine rose into the tree that split the truck in two. I sat there lifeless, trying not to blink, smile or show the rising of my chest with every breath I took. I wanted it to […]