Thoughts toward faith. Prayers toward wholeness.
Warning: This is all spoilers. I realize that an analysis of Hamilton is not the hot take it might have been two years ago, but if you for whatever reason haven’t seen it, don’t read this. Here’s a potentially awful essay idea: The hit musical Hamilton, especially the second act, is one of the best... Continue Reading →
The world does not cry out in pain, demanding no answer But it does know insufficiency, with greatest acuity - Its own as well as another’s. And so it goes on.
I As it turns out The mothership looming over L.A. Was the New Jerusalem The day had come Heaven and earth creaked into orbit, Pensive We’d forgotten that Jesus came the first time As an alien, so of course it might be Him. Did we expect literal trumpets? A sword made of iron? We forgot... Continue Reading →
Watching Paul Schrader’s new contemplative picture First Reformed was a journey in anxiety. Not just because every stiffly bracketed frame, every groan of synthesizer, every exercise in revulsion the plot throws at the screen was designed to produce it. That’s true too. No, I was anxious because this was a movie about faith in general,... Continue Reading →
Why God still calls us to give up everything, And what that might look like in practice. A month ago, I had nothing. Technically I had a house, two cars, a television, more toys for my son than I care to admit, and a wife who I love dearly. And a ton of other stuff.... Continue Reading →
I swear that’s not horrible news Or as boring as it sounds This essay went off the rails for me about halfway through. It started by asking the simple question: is Jesus a theologian? Can He be said to have a theology? For me, It ended up doing more than that, which we will get... Continue Reading →
“Love Never Ends” My hands gripped the pew before me so tightly they ached, as if caught in an over-wrought handshake. I drew in quick, sharp breaths. Though I was careful to keep my head still, my eyes darted wildly around the room. This was church, after all. I didn’t want to draw attention to... Continue Reading →
Rethinking the Whole “Truth and Grace” Thing It was Sunday morning, and I was squirming in church. My pastor had just hit his stride, launching fierily (real word?) into an assault on weak, shallow teaching and belief in churches. He’d chosen a phrase from the Gospel of John, one that he didn’t even have to... Continue Reading →
You summoned me this morning To peel and chop potatoes. The grey light sieved through earthbound clouds Poured in like smoke from some far cold Censer, dripping with perfume of ground smell. The radio declared your heavenly praises Behind the thop thop of knife through tuber And scratch of plastic, blade and board. Every day... Continue Reading →
God of Everyone 