Monthly Archives: November 2004

This week Rev. Elizabeth Stroud goes on trial in Pennsylvania for being a “self-avowed practicing homosexual,” a condition the Discipline clearly identifies as excluding one from ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. I don’t quite understand the trial process. … Continue reading →

I can’t tell for sure, but it seems like Christmas decorations are going up earlier this year. The reason I can’t tell is that it doesn’t feel like it has been a year since Christmas. I heard someone say yesterday … Continue reading →

I guess this is a safe place to admit I play video games. I have since they came out in the late 70’s. I used to pop quarters into machines just to see how long I could keep playing. I … Continue reading →

Does the reality depicted in these posts represent at least a small opening for some Christian mission work? From , Why Theo Van Gogh Was Murdered, in The City Journal. In fact, Islam is as vulnerable in Europe to the … Continue reading →

Most people care deeply about at least a few subjects. I wouldn’t be suprised if there were a number of things most of those same people didn’t care about. I have recently encountered some who seem to see their conservative … Continue reading →

Some claim that since arguing against capital punishment is a way of devaluing life. Since human lives are worth so much, how can mere imprisonment ever pay the price due for taking such a life? If all we ask of … Continue reading →

Those who argue against abortion are sometimes the same people who argue for capital punishment. Those who are for abortion will then claim this is an inconsistency on the part of anti-abortionists. But why do we need to argue for … Continue reading →

One of the trajectories I notice when I look at the history of Christian influence on society is a broadened conception of who counts as human or truly human. We see it explicitly in Jesus when he talks about love … Continue reading →

Did your vote count? Though the final results are likely a few days away, the preliminary numbers show that Bush defeated Kerry by nearly 1.7 million votes in Texas. No matter which way you voted, would it have made any … Continue reading →

At General Conference last spring, a resolution was passed which concluded: Therefore, be it resolved, that the 2004 General Conference affirms its commitment to the basic doctrines of the Christian faith as taught in Scripture and in The United Methodist … Continue reading →