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Monthly Archives: June 2012
Subordination
In his book Bishop, Will Willimon says, “Leaders in the church are subordinate to the mission of the church.” I served in a pastoral role for 25 years. During all that time, I, as pastor, was subordinate to the mission … Continue reading
Posted in Ministry, United Methodism, Will Willimon
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Sometimes Philosophers Make You Laugh
Can you tell what Rene Descartes is describing here? I bet you’ll laugh once you figure it out. (Courtesy of Iain McGilchrist) [This] results when the blood coming from the right-hand cavity of the heart through the central arterial vein … Continue reading
Posted in Humor, Philosophy
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Clergy & Laity
In Bishop, Will Willimon says, Because I’m a Wesleyan I believe that all church leadership, bishops or otherwise, is best rationalized on utility rather than by puffed-up theological warrant. Like Luther, I prefer a pragmatic rather than an ontological definition … Continue reading
Posted in Ministry, United Methodism, Will Willimon
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Cultural Dissonance
At least since the 1960s, being counter-cultural has been in. Paradoxically, we might go so far as to say that refusing to be counter-cultural is currently counter-cultural. Being at odds with our culture has become a virtue, not just in … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, United Methodism, Will Willimon
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Just Whose Idea Was It?
Will Willimon notes: Ministry, in any of its forms, is always God’s idea before it is ours. While we may eventually enjoy our clerical vocation, we do it first of all not because it causes us bliss but rather because … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, Discipleship, Ministry, United Methodism, Will Willimon
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Change or Die, part 2
Change is good! New is good! Growth is good! It’s so nice to deal with abstractions. In my last post I mentioned some forms of growth that aren’t very desirable. Cancer. The bloat of decomposition. In this post I’m going … Continue reading
Change or Die
I’m picky when it comes to shoes. I want shoes that fit well and are comfortable all day. I want to spend as little time and money as I can when I acquire them. For now, I’ve settled on a … Continue reading
Individual vs. Collective
Listening to Peter Harrison’s fifth Gifford Lecture as I drove to Marshall today, I heard his description of a shift from natural philosophy to science in the early modern period. Under the old paradigm (and I use Kuhn’s term intentionally), … Continue reading
Original Sin
Though ostensibly a theological doctrine, original sin has been secularized at least since the time of Thomas Hobbes. (David Brook’s recent column is not too far afield.) Hobbes described the original and natural state of humans as the “war of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Politics, Sin
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Permanence
Some places up north, the ground is frosty in the winter time. If you want to dig a hole, you wait until the spring thaw. Even farther north, one might find permafrost. If you want to dig there, get your … Continue reading
Posted in United Methodism, Will Willimon
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Bandits No More 