Inconclusive Musings on Unity

I’ve been trying to write an essay on Christian unity for an ecumenical volume on this topic. I’m supposed to write from my own Methodist perspective. Since I’m a Protestant, I’ve had to think about unity apart from specific ecclesiastical communions (i.e., denominations). Part of what I’ve been kicking around in my head is the…

Everywhere, Always, By All

This semester the Doctor of Ministry group that Dr. Justus Hunter and I lead is reading the Commonitorium, by Vincent of Lerins. Writing in the wake of a very contentious Council of Ephesus (431), Vincent famously insisted that “in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been…

On Sin in the Church

The recent Roman Catholic sexual abuse scandal brings to mind a question I have heard many people ask over the years: If Christians believe what they claim to believe, why do all of these scandals keep taking place? The Church and Moral Failings To be perfectly clear, Roman Catholics certainly aren’t the only Christians who…

The Real Message of Romans 13

It’s always fun when Bible passages make it into the news cycle. This time we have Jeff Sessions to thank. As Winston Churchill once quipped, we should never waste a good crisis. I’d like to take the opportunity, then, to make a few remarks about Romans 13, though to do so, I’ll have to back up to…

Let’s Make a Deal, #UMC Style

Warning: Lots of United Methodist insider talk in this post. If you are not United Methodist, you might find this all a bit confusing. In fact, I find it confusing myself.  The Commission on a Way Forward has presented an interim report to the Council of Bishops. The report is not particularly surprising, but it could…