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Voice of the Day: Walter Harrelson
Israel is to make no image of Yahweh, but Israel is to be such an image of God in the world.... We should note, however, that human beings represent God's cause in the world not primarily in spiritual ways but in very concrete and practical ones. They represent God's concern for a clean and beautiful earth, a productive earth, one filled with the full variety of the creatures called into being at the Creation. They represent God's concern for the sharing of the goods of earth in a tolerably [...]
Digging for Gospel Gold (interview by Becky Garrison)
In my ongoing quest for music that can enact positive social change, I came across the Black Gospel Restoration Project, a project spearheaded by Robert Darden, associate professor of journalism at Baylor University. Following is a [...]
Verse of the Day: Passing Judgement
Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. You say, "We know that God's judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth." Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do [...]
Voice of the Day: On Idolatry
Idolatry is the practice of ascribing absolute value to things of relative worth. Under certain circumstances money, patriotism, sexual freedom, moral principles, family loyalty, physical health, social or intellectual preeminence, and so on are fine things to have around, but to make them the standard by which all other values are measured, to make them your masters, to look to them to justify your life and save your soul is sheerest folly.
- Frederick Buechner
Wishful [...]
Voice of the Day: Sidney Callahan
Knowing one's self, finding one's self, and expending one's self for another are intertwined activities. Love of self, love of God, and love of neighbor are interdependent.
- Sidney Callahan
With All Our Heart and Mind
Verse of the Day: Release to the Sword
You yourselves recently repented and did what was right in my sight by proclaiming liberty to one another, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name; but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back your male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them again into subjection to be your slaves. Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by granting a release to your neighbors and [...]
Video: Justice Revival's Emerging Leaders
350 leaders under the age of 30 met at Sojourners' Justice Revival in Columbus, Ohio, to discuss social justice and activism. Shane Claiborne of The Simple Way spoke to the young leaders. Watch it:
Verse of the Day: Do not say, 'I am only a boy'
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." But the Lord said to me,
"Do not say, 'I am only a boy';
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord."
- [...]
Voice of the Day: Love and Mercy
A Christian is committed to the belief that Love and Mercy are the most powerful forces on earth.
- Thomas Merton
Passion for Peace
Voice of the Day: On Anger
Whenever someone feels anger, there is a potential for powerful dignity, a sense of responsibility, and the expression of some deep personal value that has a universal rightness. This value needs acknowledgement.
- David E. Doiron
Anger and Personal Power
Verse of the Day: 'I am not afraid'
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around
- Psalm 3:5-6
+ Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via [...]
Verse of the Day: 'I am not afraid'
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around
- Psalm 3:5-6
+ Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via [...]
Verse of the Day: 'for though they knew God'
Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
- Romans 1:20-21
Verse of the Day: 'for though they knew God'
Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
- Romans 1:20-21
John F. Haught on the New 'Soft-Core Atheists' (interview by Becky Garrison)
Following the publication of The New Atheist Crusaders and Their Unholy Grail I received hordes of books critiquing Dawkins & Co. While most of the responses tended to veer off into Kirk Cameron country, I [...]
John F. Haught on the New 'Soft-Core Atheists' (interview by Becky Garrison)
Following the publication of The New Atheist Crusaders and Their Unholy Grail I received hordes of books critiquing Dawkins & Co. While most of the responses tended to veer off into Kirk Cameron country, I [...]
Border-blenders and Corner-dwellers (Part 4 of 5 by Rich Nathan)
My dear friend, Ken Wilson, who pastors the Ann Arbor Vineyard, showed me a chart that I found very helpful:
|
Evangelical |
Charismatic |
|
Social Justice |
Liturgical |
What has happened in the last generation is that there has been border-blending among the four great movements in [...]
Voice of the Day: Forgiveness
Forgiveness is giving up the right to retaliate. Forgiveness is the willingness to have something happen the way it happened. It's not true that you can't forgive something; it's a matter of the will, and you always have the choice. Forgiveness is never dependent on what the other person does or does not do; it is always under our control. Forgiveness is giving up the insistence on being understood.... Jesus forgave those who crucified him. This is a radically new way of thinking. For those who [...]
Verse of the Day: Unjust Gain
For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
saying, "Peace, peace,"
when there is no peace.
- Jeremiah 6:13-14
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Lifeboat Theology vs. Ark Theology (Part 3 of 5 by Rich Nathan)
Let me give you an illustration of the difference between the narrow focus of contemporary American evangelicalism and the big focus of the Bible.
D.L. Moody, the great 19th-century evangelist, described his calling and said that he essentially understood the world as being like an ocean liner that hit an iceberg. God had said to him, "Moody, it is your job to pull as many drowning people out of [...]