From the Sayings of the Desert Fathers: One day Abba Arsenius consulted an old Egyptian monk about his own thoughts. Someone noticed this and said to him, ‘Abba Arsenius, how is it that you with such a good Latin and Greek education ask this peasant about your thoughts?’ He replied, ‘I have indeed been taught … Continue reading Thoughts which words can’t express
Christian Art: The Fruit of the Spirit
Jesus once warned, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good … Continue reading Christian Art: The Fruit of the Spirit
Indian Jewish Art
This curious painting by Indian Jewish artist Siona Benjamin is called Tikkun Olam. In Jewish teachings, Tikkun Olam is any activity that improves the world, bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created. The pale blue female figure, balancing on a lotus flower, is a portrait of the artist herself. With … Continue reading Indian Jewish Art
Kurt Vonnegut on Christless Christianity
Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse-Five, once observed, "For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes. But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course that's Moses, not Jesus. I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on … Continue reading Kurt Vonnegut on Christless Christianity
God of the Moon, God of the Sun
Dia Na Gile, Dia Na Greine God of the Moon, God of the Sun A hymn from the Carmina Gadelica DIA na gile, Dia na greine, Dh’ orduich dhuinne Mac na meine. Muire min gheal air a glun, Criosda nigh nan dul ’n a h-uchd. Is mise an cleireach stucanach, Dol timcheall nan clach stacanach, … Continue reading God of the Moon, God of the Sun
No such thing as a just war
“There is no such thing as a "just" war. It's just war. And it's antithetical to the Gospel.” ― David D. Flowers
A word of encouragement for Christians on the margins
I meet a lot of disenchanted Christians and former Christians who think they’re alone in their desire for expressions of Christianity that are more engaged with nature, more empowering of women, and more encouraging of creative expression. And it is true that many Christians give such concerns lip service at best; some being outright hostile … Continue reading A word of encouragement for Christians on the margins
The Horned Moses in Medieval Art
A curious feature of medieval and renaissance depictions of Moses is that quite a few paintings and sculptures imagine him as horned. Indeed he looks a lot like a Pagan horned god in many of them. Many scholars believe this was due to a mistranslation in the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Hebrew scriptures … Continue reading The Horned Moses in Medieval Art
Gun bless America
I have gathered here a collection of comics and other images that challenge gun worship. Alan Redpath, a well-known British pastor and author, once defined idolatry this way: “Our god is the thing we think is the most precious. For whom we would make the most sacrifice. Who moves our hearts with the warmest love. … Continue reading Gun bless America
Hermes in the Bible
In Greek mythology Hermes was the god of communication, trade, and trickery. He was a son of Zeus and is popularly known as the messenger of the gods. His name appears twice in the Bible. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul sends greetings to a Christian named Hermes, who was presumably named … Continue reading Hermes in the Bible
Do not envy the violent
The book of Proverbs cautions against envying the violent. But we live in a society that glorifies violence, that sees it as entertaining even. It is hard not to follow in their ways. It is easy to sit in judgment on cultures like that of the Romans, saying that they were barbaric in their gladiator … Continue reading Do not envy the violent
Judging others and judging God
There are two kinds of judgmentalism. The first involves judging others as if I'm perfect when I am not. The second involves judging God’s standards as if they’re unimportant when they are. Both are based on arrogance.
