Category Archives: Christianity

The tension between pedagogical caution and honesty

Posted on August 15, 2010 by Stephen

I was rereading Reinhold Niebuhr’s first book (published in 1929) earlier today – it holds the distinction as having my favorite book title, Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic – while Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Evening Service, Op. 37 was … Continue reading →

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The War Prayer (National Day of Prayer, 2010)

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Stephen

The one tradition I have on this blog, so it seems, is to post Mark Twain’s The War Prayer every other year on the National Day of Prayer. I did so back in 2006, again in 2008, and here we … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Literature | 1 Comment

Acting Out Our Hopes and Yearnings

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Stephen

Earlier this week, I wrote a piece for the Rabbit Room about one of my favorite theologians, Walter Brueggemann, and a trip I took with my friend Scott down to Waco, TX, to attend a conference where Brueggemann was the … Continue reading →

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The time God told me to write about the evils of rock music

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Stephen

My friend Matthew’s new book releases today, and I just posted a review over at the Rabbit Room. Here’s how it starts: In his new book Hear No Evil: My Story of Innocence, Music, and the Holy Ghost, releasing February … Continue reading →

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Fundamentalist logic meets the ozone layer…

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Stephen

I just wrote a new guest post for Matthew Paul Turner over at Jesus Needs New PR about a sermon I listened to recently. Here’s an excerpt: I thought of Matthew’s interview [with Wally from WAYFM] one day last week … Continue reading →

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Your own Magic Genie

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Stephen

One day last week, I stumbled across the website of a man who pastored the church I grew up in from the time I was a baby until I was about eight or nine years old. Noticing he had the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity | 3 Comments

“The Great Western Heresy”

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Stephen

At the opening address of the 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church this summer, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the presiding Bishop, had this to say: “The overarching connection in all of these crises has to do with … Continue reading →

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Peter Rollins on Parables and Resurrection

Posted on July 26, 2009 by Stephen

A couple weeks ago, I posted a review on the Rabbit Room of Peter Rollins’ new book, The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Tales, along with one of the parables, Finding Faith. Discussion on the post continues, including a couple … Continue reading →

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“Profoundly Disturbed on the Fourth of July.”

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Stephen

At this point, it’s become a tradition. Almost every year since I first read this essay by Bob Hyatt back in 2003, I’ve posted it on my blog. As much as I’ve changed my views on different things in the … Continue reading →

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Derek Webb, Muppets, a Kick Drum and the Holy Spirit

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Stephen

Quick, name the last time an artist sampled a clip from Sesame Street in their song? The answer: Derek Webb, in a newly released song from his upcoming album, “Stockholm Syndrome.” Here’s the Sesame Street clip: Derek’s song is titled … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment