Anabaptist and Quaker essays, sermons, and other writings
The first portion of this article examined our tendency to “spiritualize” our theological language. This can happen when taking words that were first given dynamic metaphorical use for articulating something of our experience with God, and calcifying their meaning such that the only interpretation considered is one that stays entirely […]
In an introductory theology course at Eastern University, our professor quite deliberately assigned us readings from a wide variety of Christian traditions. Among these, one story makes a text we didn’t read memorable: Professor Boyer read aloud an email exchange wherein he had asked colleagues at Eastern and other friends […]
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, […]
It is no exaggeration to say that I would not be a Christian today if it was not for Romans 7:15 and 19, in which none other than the Apostle Paul – chosen to be God’s instrument’ chosen to bring the name of Jesus before Gentiles and kings and before the people […]
Humanity has been living in the tension of God’s already and not yet Kingdom anticipating the end of time. Since time immemorial, the calamities have sometimes been associated with the end time. For instance, the occurrence of war, diseases, floods, and famines are a few. It is recorded, When he […]
After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… –Rev 5:9 Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable […]
Think about a time when you were first in love. That dreamy feeling, like the whole world was singing to you, that you had found the secret of life, the universe, and everything, and the most wonderful person in existence was crazy about YOU! Thinking about how lovely it was […]
This sermon was originally delivered to Moorseville Friends Church on First Day, Sixth Month 13th, 2021. “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,” said the angel of the annunciation. Quaker theologian Robert Barclay (1648-1690) argued that “if this coming of Christ had […]
For much of the Christian Church, today is Pentecost Sunday. It commemorates the day when the Holy Spirit, previously breathed into the eleven disciples by the risen Christ1, fell upon ten dozen assembled believers2. Peter, standing among them, explained to astonished bystanders that this was the “outpouring of God’s spirit […]
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. – Matthew 12:36 KJV Pan rhēma argon, reads the original Greek, which the New Revised Standard Version translates “every careless word.” Or we might say, “every empty, […]