Thoughts on Israel

I have been to Israel three times. I have stayed in the West Bank, and I have stayed in Israel. I have talked with Palestinians in a refugee camp, and I have spoken with Israeli settlers in the West Bank. I have met Palestinian Christians and Palestinian Muslims. I have heard from former Israeli soldiers…

Christian Doctrine and Genetic Modification

The Independent recently published an article regarding controversy in the UK over the genetic modification of embryos, and the government’s alleged attempts to obscure the nature and consequences of such treatments: The [UK] Government has been accused of misleading the public over the introduction of a new in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technique that some experts believe will…

Why Aldersgate Renewal Ministries may be the most important thing going in the UMC

Last weekend I attended the national conference of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries, the charismatic renewal movement in United Methodism. If you have never attended an ARM conference, I strongly encourage you to do so. These are the most vibrant, optimistic, and powerful meetings I have ever attended among United Methodists. There is an attitude of peacefulness…

Social Media Sabbath

I’m not very good at vacation. I know I’m not alone in this regard. Some people just can’t get work out of their heads. Some people, like me, have a hyperactive sense of responsibility. Humility requires, however, an understanding that God’s good work in the world doesn’t depend upon our working ourselves to death. When…

Keep Calm and Pray

There’s an old curse that goes, “May you live in interesting times.” For better or worse, the times we live in are indeed interesting, at least in the UMC. The actions of a number of clergy and some bishops in the UMC have seriously undermined the force of our canon law. The status of the actions of…

Human Life in a Liberal Society

I had the pleasure of listening to Stanley Hauerwas this morning. I’ve enjoyed reading some of his work and hearing him lecture over the years. He has a way of capsizing our presuppositions and leading us to reckon with the force of doctrine and scripture in every aspect of our lives. Today he spoke at the Summer…

“Why don’t you critique your own post?”

I had dinner with an old friend last night, and we talked about some of the ire that my last post raised. Raising ire really isn’t my thing, nor was it the intention of the post. Rather, the intention was to raise awareness of the disproportionate level of attention that one issue, which our Discipline calls “homosexual…