The appearance of the Risen Christ to the disciples on the road to Emmaus is one of the richest passages in all of Scripture. This passage is a source of tender comfort and subtle challenge. I can remember the minister commenting on these verses at my father’s funeral, and because… Continue reading
I am often asked if I have ever visited the Holy Land. The answer is “No.” The year I planned to go coincided with the Israeli-Egyptian war in the 1960s, so I settled for a trip to seven countries in Europe. I’m not sure I would enjoy a trip to… Continue reading
Perhaps the message we North American Christians need to hear most in the entire New Testament is contained in these words: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed.” Continue reading
Woody Allen, in his movie “Annie Hall” tells the story of a man who goes to a psychiatrist, complaining that his brother-in-law, who lives with him, thinks he is a chicken. “Describe his symptoms,” the doctor says. “Maybe I can help.” “Well,” replies the man, “he cackles a lot, he… Continue reading
(I wrote this article during the Lenten season of 1994. The heartbreaking truth is that the article’s message may be more relevant today than it was twenty-five years ago. I decided to share it exactly as I wrote it a quarter of a century ago. ) During this Lenten season… Continue reading
Lent is a time for reflection, soul-searching, confession, repentance, and preparation for the coming grace of God. I’ve always has a suspicion that we Protestants are not quite sure what to do with Lent. The pageantry and triumph of Palm Sunday and Easter are more our style. The church, however,… Continue reading
During the season of Lent when we consider the meaning of the cross, we should observe that the church over the centuries has never settled on one interpretation of the death of Jesus. The New Testament itself understands that the cross has far more meaning than can be squeezed into… Continue reading
My prayer is that the vision I am creating now and which will one day control me is healthy and open enough to allow me to continue to grow and change, for I still have a long way to go. Continue reading
Not too many years ago it was fashionable to view guilt as an unhealthy legacy from a superstitious and unhappy past—from a time which we moderns were prepared to leave behind. Guilt was seen as neurotic, masochistic, and without any redeeming purpose in the lives of individuals or in the… Continue reading
Some church historians believe that the season we know as Lent developed from two practices in the early church. The first practice involved the teaching of the catechumens, those persons who wanted to convert to Christianity. The early church was very serious about informing these catechumens about the faith. The… Continue reading
