Indigenous Wisdom

Several times on this blog I have mentioned the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is about “knowing how.” Wisdom is about “knowing why” in the sense of purpose and results. Knowledge can allow for astounding achievements. Wisdom can bring a profound and wholistic understanding of how all things are… Continue reading

What Will It Take?

A society based on the exploitation of limited natural resources, harmful production, and obsessive consumption is ill equipped to plan for a radically different kind of life allowing for survival in the future. Our whole society is based on a “growing economy” which requires an expanding exploitation of the earth–the very exploitation which has produced the climate crisis which threatens the existence of much of our planet. Continue reading

A Chilling Thought

On Saturday morning, July10, 2021, Susan and I attended a meeting of the Eastside Creation Care Network. ECCN is composed of members from various congregations on the eastside of Indianapolis. These wonderful followers of Jesus are committed to creation care and addressing the grave climate crisis threatening our world. During… Continue reading

Heroes of the Faith: Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

Hildegard of Bingen, abbess and visionary, was one of the Rhineland mystics. She was a most remarkable woman in a patriarchal world of politics, religion, and culture. She was the tenth child born to noble parents in the German province of Rheinhessen. At an early age she was placed under… Continue reading

Genesis 6:5-9:17 “The First Things” (The Great Flood) Part 14

In a previous sermon [Genesis 1:1-12:3 “The First Things” (Ancient Near Eastern Traditions and Historical Context) Part 2], we looked at the similarities between the flood story in Genesis and the account of a great flood in the Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic—a story which dates many years before Israel ever came… Continue reading

Needed to be Developed—Had to be Done

During this pandemic Susan and I are living in Wabash, Indiana Monday-Friday taking care of our seven-year-old grandson Jeffery while our daughter and son-in-law work as RNs at the VA Hospital in Marion, Indiana. We return to our Indianapolis home on weekends. Weather permitting, we take our grandson to Paradise… Continue reading

Abundant Life Beats the Rat Race

Art Gish, in his wonderful little book entitled Beyond the Rat Race, begins with this amusing illustration: A salesman once visited a hermit who was living leisurely in the mountains. Quickly realizing he would make no sales there, the salesman tried to point out the hermit’s folly. “Just think.” he… Continue reading

Knowledge Isn’t Wisdom

Earth day (Wednesday, April 22, 2020) is upon us as we focus on the goodness of God’s creation and our obligation within that creation. Whenever I think about the environment and our ecological responsibility, I hear echoes from the First Nations of this continent. In particular, I am reminded of… Continue reading

The Skies Darkened and the Earth Shook: A Lesson for Good Friday

All three of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) tell us that at Jesus’ death, “darkness came over the whole earth.” Only Matthew writes that in addition to the darkness, there was an earthquake which split rocks and shook the earth. I remember years ago reading about biblical literalists… Continue reading