Note: I am developing a work that offers post-evangelical meditations on the book of Job. This section reflects on what Job says in chapters 9-10. This section was drafted over the last week. Perhaps it will speak to you. I hope to bring this book out in 2026, with Orbis Books. He is not a […]
The Terror of Arbitrary Power: A Meditation Based on Job 9-10
Note: The talk below was presented on 8 February to Ethiopian theologians gathered under the banner of Prophetic: The Public Theology Fellowship, led by the gifted Andrew DeCort. You will see that my task in this workshop was to address the nature, purpose, and strategy of Christian public theology. I was also asked to reflect on
Bearing Faithful Witness: Christian Public Theology in Crisis Times and All Other Times
Note: Every day I make a discipline of reading the lectionary texts scheduled for each day. These are the readings for today, February 7, 2025, as presented by the US Catholic Bishops. Reading 1 Hebrews 13:1-8 Let brotherly love continue.Do not neglect hospitality,for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing
A Very Short Homily on Today’s Readings
The Moment We Have Been Preparing For Note: On January 26, 2025, I had the special privilege of offering the closing keynote address at the Q Christian Fellowship conference in Atlanta. This organization describes its mission as follows: “cultivating radical belonging for LGBTQ+ Christians and allies.” Below is the text of my Sunday morning address, which followed
Closing Address, Q Christian Fellowship Conference, Atlanta
WHERE I WAS BEFORE 5 NOVEMBER 2024 The election results came as a shock and great disappointment to me and many academics (of course, not all!). While we knew that Trump could win, I now see some of us were self-soothing by screening out information that we did not like. My favorite pacifiers were the
Final Reflections on the Lessons of 2024
Note to Readers: I preached this sermon on January 5, 2025 at Genesis Church in Royal Oak, Michigan. My assignment was to talk about how to create an ethic around the person of Jesus and how to do that in community. So even though this was Epiphany Sunday, I chose a text from the other
As I write, it is four weeks until the election. The polls on reputable sites like Fivethirtyeight.com are giving the Harris-Walz ticket a very slight advantage, with the results coming down to one or two states. Those of us who lean left in politics frequently find ourselves in ultimately fruitless conversations in which one or the other of
Illiberal America Has Won Many Times Before
I am writing this post very early in the morning of Friday, Sept. 6. It is less than 48 hours after 14-year-old Colt Gray decided to start his freshman year at Apalachee High School, 40 minutes north of me, by murdering his classmates and teachers, four of whom are dead, nine of whom are injured. I
Apalachee High School: The Questions that Haunt Me at Night
After a tumultuous and fascinating two months in American politics, here are some things I see as this election year moves into its final stretch. After the June presidential debate, Joe Biden’s candidacy was doomed. He was right to drop out. There was no unseeing the feebleness we all saw. Afterward, the polls were showing Biden
Regarding Election 2024: Eight Things I See
The 248th birthday of our country will be celebrated this year under dark shadows. Personally, I will not be doing much celebrating. Let’s review our situation, shall we? Former President Donald Trump already was leading in the presidential election polls before the June 27 debate between him and President Joe Biden. In that debate, this is