I just completed reading (listening to, audio-book) 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann (thanks for the loan Phil H). One of the best things this book does is to question, and more often dismantle, commonly held myths about the Americas and the people who lived here before European contact. Mann utilizes both the latest archeological and genetic findings, along with the earliest European accounts of contact with Indian peoples. Although the details continue to be up for debate, there is an emerging scholarly consensus that the pre-1492...
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These past couple weeks have been quite eventful for Columbus Mennonite Church because of all the press we have received related to my installation. I really appreciated Joel’s thoughts from last week’s blog about how we might respond to people who do not affirm the congregation’s decision to call me to a pastoral role. I like all of his suggestions, but I thought I would add one of my own:
+ Practice the...
In the last week and a half Columbus Mennonite has been in both The Mennonite and the Mennonite World Review because of our hiring of Mark. In this digital world, stories travel fast on social media and comments become just as publicly accessible as the story itself. The large majority of responses we’ve received through the office have been enthusiastically supportive. I’m aware that a number of you have...
A friend recently quoted the first sentence of James McClendon’s three volume work of systematic theology: “Theology means struggle.” It’s a fitting phrase for this month of exploring difficult passages in the Bible. It’s a good reminder that our faith is not just about comfort and refuge, but about venturing out from our comfortable places and walking into an expansiveness that we can never fully comprehend or tame.
Along with Genesis 32:22-32 (Jacob wrestling with God) and Genesis 18:22-33 (Abraham haggling with God), another valuable text of struggle is the book of Job. The...
It’s “Difficult Passages” month and the midweek blog is an opportunity to talk not about those difficult biblical passages themselves, but about other passages that help us think about the difficult passages. Last week: Jacob wrestling with God. This week: Abraham haggling with God.
Genesis 18:22-33 occurs right after Abraham and Sarah have extended hospitality to three travelers, and right before the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. After refreshing themselves and eating their fill, two of...