Musings on Faith, Culture and ADHD
Ever since it appeared a few weeks ago, I've been thinking about John Vest's blog post called "The Vine is Dying." The Presbyterian pastor from Chicago has been involved in finding ways to help the Presbyterian Church (USA) rebound after decades of decline and his February 27 post was one borne of frustration with the... Continue Reading →
I'm preaching next Sunday and the gospel text is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Bible Scholar Kenneth Bailey brings a different perspective of the famous story grounded in the context of Middle Eastern culture. h/t Michael Kruse
This is a sermon from my Community of Grace days. I think my sermon writing is a lot better than it was back then, but the essence of the sermon is still prescient. “Three Beeps Means ‘I Love You’” Micah 6:1-8 January 23, 2005 Community of Grace Christian Church St. Paul, MN I’m going... Continue Reading →
“This I Believe” Isaiah 43:1-7 and Luke 3:15-22 Baptism of Jesus January 13, 2013 First Christian Church Minneapolis, MN I really had a temptation to call this Dennis’ Baptismal Follies, because me and baptism have had a troubled relationship. There was nothing wrong with baptism per se, but it was how I learned of baptism... Continue Reading →
It was about 15 years ago that I saw firsthand how love of enemy and justice for the oppressed clashed with each other. I was in seminary at the time and one Sunday afternoon, I went to a discussion held at a local Lutheran church. The then-Bishop of the St. Paul Area Synod of the... Continue Reading →
Anyone who's read this blog knows I tend to be critical of mainline Christianity. It's not that I want to leave what has been my theological home for two decades; it's that I get frustrated at some of it's shortcomings. Despite all of that, mainline/progressive/liberal Christianity is my home. As much as I respect my... Continue Reading →
The last two days have been sort of wearing on me. It was busy, filled with a lot of people time that just wears me down and needing a time to nap-not as much to sleep as to just "power down." Some of this exhaustion is related to my Aspergers. Unlike others, someone with autism... Continue Reading →
Like many people, I've been rather surprised to hear that Oscar Pistorius has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend. The South African athelete, who is a double amputee, is known as "Blade Runner" for his carbon fiber legs and his speed. Pistorius was a symbol that persons with disabilities can achieve great feats,... Continue Reading →
Michael Kruse has a good post that deals with my long quest to find out what is truly prophetic and what is just a poser. Here's a taste: The Christian Left (or progressives) hold themselves up as the antidote to this unholy alliance between the church and state. They are prophetic. Unlike conservatives who were... Continue Reading →
This summer the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will gather for its biennial General Assembly in Orlando. One of the items to be considered is a resolution proclaiming the denomination Open and Affirming to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. A resolution is for the most part a sense of the Assembly and carries no... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 