Wealth Inequality in America
I was astonished by this video on wealth inequality in America. By many estimates it is as bad, and getting worse, than that of many third world countries. Biblically, there’s nothing wrong with wealth. It’s neutral. But it takes on the ethical dimensions of whomever’s hands it in. And given the way most of the wealth is used, we can say that things aren’t very biblical. E-mail this Page.Tweet
The Ultimate Final Act
courtesy of LA Times A story almost forgotten: on February 3, 1943, four military chaplains were aboard a troop transport ship crossing the North Atlantic. Struck by a German submarine’s torpedo, the ship sank in the middle of the night. These four men led the new, unprepared recruits, to life jackets. Then the life jackets ran out. So without hesitating, the chaplains each gave up their own to give to another man. It is said they linked their arms in prayer as the ship went down into the frigid waters and then sucked them under in the vortex. The man…
Christianity Survives the Church
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has been rocking with revealed coverups of priests’ sexual toward kids for decades past. The justifications that priests, bishops, and this cardinal make are astonishing. How can they defend themselves as church leaders and callously disregard the countless people whose lives they’ve ravaged? I tell my church history students it’s amazing that throught the institutional corruption of the Middle Ages, it’s amazing that Christianity survived the church. The same is still true. When people ask me what I think it will take for the church to grow in contemporary America, I say that the…
God Portraits
We recreate God in our image. God Portraits The Reverend Instructor stood before his pupils at the School of Sacred Painting. Today’s subject was painting portraits of God. The Reverend Instructor described the essence of God portraits, their proper angle and image. He explained the proper colors, proper design and all that was generally right or wrong with most God portraits. Then with brush in hand, he swept the canvas first in broad strokes. Over them he caressed the image with fine lines, then with detailed dabs and touches. The pupils followed his example and brushed similar God portraits….
Live Well in the Face of Eternal Reality
You & Me & Eternal Reality Live well… Most people would say they want to live well. I don’t know many who prefer misery or self-destruction. If they destroy themselves, it’s usually as a byproduct of recklessly doing something else. For most of us, living well is a matter of choices we make. Living well is also a big subject that may encompass faith, health, fitness, finances, social interaction, even home buying and vacation clubs. So we need to be more specific. …in the face of… People tend to live life as if they’ll get out of it alive, or…
