ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 21, 2025 George Bernanos was a French author who was very much shaped by his experience in WWI. He wrote, “The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.” Not only would I agree, but what I see happen in so many settings, from business to government to religion itself, is that the end is
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 20, 2025 When was the last time you received forgiveness? When was the last time you extended forgiveness? In a faith built around a God whose mercy is beyond anything one could imagine, I would hope we could name times when we had been on the receiving end of forgiveness. And since we claim to follow a man named Jesus who, among other things, offered
In last Sunday’s sermon, I referenced Christian Nationalism, a very non-Christian and undemocratic movement. John Fugelsang, in his new book,“Separation of Church and Hate,” writes, “There is a growing plague of politicians, preachers, and influencers who wrap themselves in religious language while attacking anti-discrimination policies, women, immigrants, the poor, the struggling, LGBTQ people, and anyone else on society’s margins… it’s cruelty in piety drag.”
In her book, Preaching God’s Grand Drama, Ahmi Lee writes, “It is not enough for the church to merely see the world in light of the gospel… [Instead,] God’s people must live as though the claims of the gospel are true.” I think she is absolutely correct in her assessment.
There is a short but wonderful quote attributed to Mother Teresa. It reads, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” I believe this to be true, in part, because I know the opposite is true. A few weeks ago, I had a parking pass for a garage. However, when I arrived at the gate, the QR code failed to scan.
On this day in 1989, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Rev. Allan Boesak led the single largest anti-Apartheid march in South African history. It would be known as the Cape Town Peace March, and it would be considered a turning point in the movement to end the racist and unjust policies of Apartheid.