The more we are aware of our own mistakes, sins, and failings, the more we are assured of our dependence on grace. As such, we learn not to judge others. The Desert Fathers For the first monks, those Christians who went to live in the deserts of North Africa during the 3rd to 6th centuries, …
Continue reading Judging Ourselves Stops Us Judging Others – Learning From the Desert Fathers
I believe that the attractive power of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders can best be understood through the lens of the cult of the Virgin Mary. When understood as a form of modern sacred virgin-mothers, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (DCC) reveal the continuing power of the courtly ideal of love to unite lust with the sacred. …
Continue reading The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are Cosplaying the Virgin Mary
It is possible to make God into an idol when we worship our ideas of God rather than committing ourselves to an active relationship with the living Jesus. Idolatry is the First Sin Idolatry is the first sin. It is the sin that begins every other sin. Idolatry means we treat something, or someone, that …
Continue reading Turning God into an Idol – We Really Want To Worship Superman
The Love of God that Christians are called to demonstrate is a love that delights in the other person's joy and wellbeing. What Do We Mean When We Say Love? We use the word 'love' in all kinds of different ways. Saying "I love you" to my friend, my Mum, and my partner, all means …
Continue reading I Delight In Your Delight – Learning To Fall in Love with Love
Spiritual warfare isn't a cosmic battle between good and evil. Spiritual warfare is an overarching term for the way that the Kingdom of God is established. Breaking Down Our Assumptions This may not be a way of looking at spiritual warfare that you are used to or that even seems to make sense. However, there …
We are more than what we do. This might seem obvious, but it so often ignored or forgotten. The Sabbath reminds us of the fundamental fact that we are created in the image of God, invested with inherent dignity, and our value is not dependent on what we do but simply on our existence. I …
I was speaking to a friend the other day about planning a project at our corps. I generally tend not to believe that God has a plan for us, or that things happen because God wants them to. I believe God is involved in all things and is present at all times, but I struggle …
Continue reading I Trust Your Faith – How Other People’s Faith Can Support Us In Difficult Times
The short answer: probably not. The longer answer... Christianity and Money Don't Go Together Christianity has had a complicated relationship with money and wealth throughout its existence. In its early period, Christians were almost universally poor, oppressed, and at risk of their lives. They were frequently enslaved people, from ethnic minorities, and women. The Bible …
My almost-five year old (who currently thinks she is 15) has got to the stage of saying that things are "unfair" if she doesn't like them. "No, you can't have any chocolate tonight. Treats are for the weekend." "But that's not fair!" "Can you tidy your toys away please?" "That's not fair!" You get the …
What happens if we read the Exodus as a story of divine conflict? By reading the Exodus with an explicitly mythological lens, we can gain a new level of meaning. I'm going to briefly outline what that could look like. But it will only be an overview of a very complicated subject with lots of …
Continue reading Why Moses Wasn’t Called Moses – Reading The Exodus As Divine Conflict