|
| Date | Title | Topic |
|---|
|
| 19 March 2001 |
Made for Thyself |
Dan comments on wisdom, power, and wealth—so envied in Silicon Valley—and an alternative plot for a fulfilling life.
|
| 26 March 2001 |
Life Unfiltered |
Dan explores an aphorism by
Kierkegaard: “Life can only be understood backwards, but it can only be
lived forwards.”
|
| 2 April 2001 |
Borg on Belief |
In his essay this week Dan looks at the work of Marcus Borg, one of
today's important New Testament scholars and leaders of the Jesus Seminar.
|
| 9 April 2001 |
Getting To Yes |
Dan says: “In my essay this week I look at Peter, who was the leader of the
twelve apostles and the first bishop of Rome. But he denied the Lord at least
six times and needed to be converted beyond his initial conversion.”
|
| 16 April 2001 |
Take Up and Read |
The Protestant tradition is a book tradition. In the Journey with
Jesus this week Dan explores what this means.
|
| 23 April 2001 |
Does Religion Matter? |
Does religion matter? For most people it does, but not for
many intellectuals, and especially not for our most elite scientists.
|
| 30 April 2001 |
A Boring Problem |
Is today's university a Christless hellhole? Diane Komp does
not think so, and neither does Dan.
|
| 7 May 2001 |
The Church, Our Mother |
As Mother's Day approaches, Dan looks at the Church as our Mother.
|
| 14 May 2001 |
Welcoming Embrace |
To what extent are evangelical Christians seen as grace-filled people?
There's plenty of evidence that cuts both ways.
|
| 21 May 2001 |
A Prayerful Admonition |
Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, neo-apostolic: what are we to make of the
fragmentation of the faithful? The church should value both doctrinal
purity and complete unity: what are we to do?
|
| 28 May 2001 |
Vincent's Vexation |
Following up last week's topic, unity in the faith, how do we
approach the task of deciding what is essential vs. what is merely
important?
|
| 4 June 2001 |
When Wrong Feels Right |
How is it that enormous evil can be done in the name of good? And often
by those who are considered “normal, everyday people”?
|
| 11 June 2001 |
Embracing Bad Taste |
Dan takes a look at popular expressions of Christianity vs.
‘higher’
versions of the same: are they adversaries or allies?
|
| 18 June 2001 |
The Genealogy of Jesus |
A family's genealogy tells us a lot about where they've been, and
perhaps something about what may be expected of them in the future. But
what does Jesus' genealogy tell us about God (and ourselves)?
|
| 25 June 2001 |
The Monastics on Money |
Money: most of think we could use more of it. What does it take to
be faithful to God and each other in our use of it?
|
| 2 July 2001 |
Eat the Fat, Drink the Wine |
Do we enjoy ourselves as much as we ought as Christians? Do we restrain
our impulses more than we should? Dan takes a look at
the serious business of rejoicing!
|
| 9 July 2001 |
A Poem of Saint Bonaventure |
This essay takes a look at reconciling the life of the mind and the
life of the heart: a topic of considerable relevance to all of us!
|
| 16 July 2001 |
London |
A rookie tourist experiences culturally diverse London and reflects upon
diversity and commonality in the Christian experience.
|
| 23 July 2001 |
Nero |
Christian believers
have been persecuted by mainstream society for their differences
(belief in Jesus' resurrection, refusal to worship other gods, among others)
since day one. But what does this mean for us today? How does it play
out in the world we know?
|
| 30 July 2001 |
Luther on Marriage |
Luther often contrasted “unregenerate, natural reason” with
Christian faith—and ended up married as a consequence. This essay reminds us
that things deemed to be
important in contemporary culture may not be so in the kingdom of
God...and vice versa.
|
| 6 August 2001 |
The Bible Tells Me So |
Scripture confusion: you read it, I read it, someone else reads it...and among the three of us there are five opinions about what it means. What's going
on? Dan takes a look at the role Scripture plays in our faith.
|
| 13 August 2001 |
Summer Reading |
Books enrich us all...and Dan investigates several recent favorites in this essay (and a few he didn't finish, as well!).
|
| 20 August 2001 |
Strictly By the Numbers |
Ever feel like your life has been
reduced to a series of numbers? That you're
just a cog on a nameless wheel? Do you dread hearing the chant
“Press 1 for
service, press 2 to leave a message, press 3 for...”?
Dan muses upon the quantity and quality of life.
|
| 27 August 2001 |
Jesus Loves the Little Children |
Stereotypes, labels, superficial interactions—these are mechanisms
we use every day
to avoid interacting with the people around us. In this essay,
Dan considers the ways in which Jesus loved and
interacted with people in his day.
|
| 3 September 2001 |
Peet's and The Prince |
In this week's essay, Dan recounts an adventurous trek through
Costa Rica and Ethiopia in search of good coffee and discovers a challenge for
Christians.
|
| 10 September 2001 |
A Very Good Place |
Christians are frequently perceived
as regarding the good and pleasurable things in our
world with a healthy dose of suspicion and distrust.
However, the Bible designates much of the world as good.
How has this disparity come to be?
|
| 17 September 2001 |
When Darkness Reigns |
Peace, prayer, and September 11, 2001.
|
| 24 September 2001 |
The Blame Game |
Politics, culture, and the Gospel.
|
| 1 October 2001 |
For Glory and For Beauty |
What are we to make of the aesthetics of life? Are beautiful things merely
fortunate extras in our technological society, to be noticed only
when we have time and inclination?
Or are they something more? Dan
investigates the goodness of beauty in this essay.
|
| 8 October 2001 |
Surviving Church |
In this essay Dan discusses the disinterested manner in which many
people view the activity known as
“attending church” and discovers some of the bleak
reasons for it.
He comments on Philip Yancey's recently released book Soul Survivor
and discovers several clues to improvement.
|
| 15 October 2001 |
Bombs Bursting in Air |
In this week's essay Dan weighs the sometime
necessity of military intervention in holding back evil against the
ideals and responsibilities of worshiping the Lord who loves all people,
and examines three reasons for his unease at our response to the acts of
September 11.
|
| 22 October 2001 |
Constantine's Sword |
Dan reflects upon James Carroll's recent book, Constantine's Sword,
drawn from the “Christian complicity in history's greatest
evils” genre. Dan considers collective guilt, personal moral choice,
whether traditional theology inevitably leads to tragic history, and contrasts
arguments supporting
Christian self-incrimination with arguments supporting the non-complicity
of traditional Islam in the September 11 tragedies.
|
| 29 October 2001 |
All Saints Day |
All Saints' Eve: aka “All Hallow Even” (circa 1700), or today, Halloween,
according to Mr. Webster and the brothers Merriam. Here Dan contrasts
the commonplace practice of the customs of Halloween with the immensely more important but almost
totally neglected remembrance of the saints.
|
| 5 November 2001 |
Who Are We? Religious Pluralism as Our New Social Reality | In this first of three essays on the diversity
of cultures and religions in America, Dan surveys
several aspects of “religious pluralism”
and shows how they are in evidence in American society today.
|
| 12 November 2001 |
Pluralism: A Civic Responsibility |
In this second of three essays on religious pluralism, Dan considers how
national unity might be obtained in a religiously diverse culture.
|
| 19 November 2001 |
Pluralism: A Theological Challenge |
In this third of three essays on religious pluralism, Dan takes up the
challenge of theological constraints and contrasts it with the
feel-good, all-roads-climb-the-same-mountain approach to pluralism.
|
| 26 November 2001 |
Thanksgiving 2001 |
Dan takes a look at the nature of true gratitude and reminds us that we can
indeed do something for others.
|
| 3 December 2001 |
Between the Times |
In this first of four essays on Advent, Dan takes a look backward at the
birth of Christ and considers some of the implications this event holds for
us today.
|
| 10 December 2001 |
The Fork and The Fire |
This second of four essays for Advent considers the
generally unpopular topic of judgment and the modern propensity to trivialize
it.
|
| 17 December 2001 |
The Man Without the Miracle |
In the third of four essays for Advent, Dan considers several cases where
people of faith endured suffering, including a few who died without
deliverance from their persecutors—and what this means for us.
|
| 24 December 2001 |
Be Not Afraid |
In the last of four essays for Advent, Dan considers events that cause us
to fear, and God's reassuring statements to people of faith.
|
| 31 December 2001 |
The Fullness of Time | The approach of a new year is always a time for reflection about where we
have been and where we are headed. This essay looks at a number of views
of history, both Christian and secular.
|
| 7 January 2002 |
Epiphany 2002 |
This week's essay discusses several revolutionary
effects that Christ's appearing has had on this world, and challenges us
to persistently seek increased understanding of our lives from Him.
|
| 14 January 2002 |
America the Beautiful? |
Dan investigates symptoms of change in American society
and diagnoses the most likely outcome: culture death.
|
| 21 January 2002 |
Honoring King |
This essay looks at racial hostility and reconciliation, and what the
New Testament has to say about them.
|
| 28 January 2002 |
A Prayer for the New Year 2002 |
This essay marvels at the grace and forgiveness God has shown to us, and
prays for wisdom, direction, and mercy for others
as we consider the extent of our time upon this earth.
|
| 4 February 2002 |
My First Prozac |
The human condition illustrates vividly that all is not well with the world.
This essay looks at ways that sin divides us from
ourselves, from each other, and most of all from God, and in a beautiful
quote from Luther reminds us of God's grace to those who believe.
|
| 11 February 2002 |
Ash Wednesday 2002 |
This essay examines the role certain spiritual disciplines play in the life
of the Christian church today.
|
| 18 February 2002 |
Presidents' Day 2002 |
This essay provides a fascinating glimpse at the life of one U.S. president who
described his own conscience as “neat and easy”.
|
| 25 February 2002 |
Warrior Politics: Making the Best of a Bad Job |
Tough choices face those in leadership positions: implementing
rule of right, not might, is not as easy as it sounds.
|
| 4 March 2002 |
The Voice of Experience |
In this essay, Dan grapples with the role that experiences play
in interpreting and furthering our Christian life.
|
| 11 March 2002 |
A Long Way To Go |
This essay marks the one-year anniversary of The Journey with Jesus essay series!
In it we are told of a monastery visit with a puzzling pronouncement, which
Dan relates in several contexts to our own individual journeys.
|
| 18 March 2002 |
The Prayer of Saint Patrick |
Are saints those who have been distinguished by great acts of faith and
sacrifice, or are all of us who believe aptly called by this title? Dan takes
a look at this as we remember the life of a beloved example.
|
| 25 March 2002 |
That Your Faith Might Not Fail: Palm Sunday 2002 |
The dark side of existence plays a prominent role in the Star Wars movie saga:
but do we recognize how big a role our own personal ‘dark sides’ play in us?
|
| 1 April 2002 |
Resurrection Power: Easter 2002 |
Why would a religion widely acknowledged to have provided
the greatest moral teachings ever known be coupled so inseparably and
unwaveringly to ludicrous claims of the resurrection of its founder?
|
| 8 April 2002 |
The World of the Weak |
The world favors the young, the strong, the brilliant, the famous: and forgets the rest.
But is meritocratic society overlooking something vital?
|
| 15 April 2002 |
I-Chun Lin (1964–2002) |
Dealing with death in all its ugly forms is difficult for us all.
Surprised by the loss of a good friend,
Dan addresses our search for wholeness and belonging, the antitheses of death, and
how we can help each other.
|
| 22 April 2002 |
Permission Granted |
In the words of the familiar adage, "we're in a world of hurt".
How do we make sense of the pain that mere existence often brings?
|
| 29 April 2002 |
Faith and Film |
The cinema is a mirror of modern life, a potential point of contact
where Christians can engage, understand, and express their views concerning
today's hopes, dreams, and worries. This essay takes a look at three ways
to view movies.
|
| 6 May 2002 |
He Heard My Cry |
What is our relationship with God really like?
What is happening when we feel alienated from God, when it seems that
no attention is being given to our needs?
|
| 13 May 2002 |
Ruth |
What does it take for us to make progress on
the journey with Jesus? Surprisingly little, it would seem.
|
| 20 May 2002 |
Pentecost 2002 |
What is the ministry of the Spirit? What does it mean to live a
Spirit-filled life? What did it mean to the Christian believers in the
first century? This essay investigates.
|
| 27 May 2002 |
A Sectarian Manifesto |
Has evangelicalism fallen prey to a desire to make the Good News
more palatable to modern ears? This essay looks to the Gospel of John
to find out.
|
| 3 June 2002 |
Twelve Fortune-Tellers |
Is Biblical prophecy mostly fortune-telling, or is it something much
more? This essay introduces an upcoming series of twelve essays on the
Minor Prophets of the Old Testament.
|
| 10 June 2002 |
Hosea and Free Love |
This first of twelve essays on the Minor Prophets takes a look at
God's exasperation with, and love for, the nation of Israel in Hosea's day.
|
| 17 June 2002 |
Joel: God's Hand in My History |
How are God's designs for us made known? Can we see God's hand at work
in the events and circumstances of our existence? |
| 24 June 2002 |
Amos: The Farmer Theologian Meets the Wealthy Elite |
Which is more remarkable: that God chose a
rough-hewn, uncultured man to carry a message of
caring for the powerless to religious sophisticates, or the fact that they
needed to hear it in the first place?
|
| 1 July 2002 |
Obadiah and the 4th of July |
Violence and destruction are anathema today, particularly so when
done in the name of religion. So how then do we interpret the message
of Obadiah?
|
| 8 July 2002 |
Jonah, a Fish and a Vine |
Why is it so hard to carry a message of repentance and grace to an enemy?
This essay investigates the case of Jonah.
|
| 15 July 2002 |
Micah: From Hell to Hope |
What were those O.T. prophets really up to?
In his “prophet concentrate”, Micah seems to hit all the bases.
|
| 22 July 2002 |
Barcelona 2002 |
This week Dan takes a break from the minor prophets
and considers the grim AIDS/HIV situation in Africa, and
suggests how Jesus might want us to react to it.
|
| 29 July 2002 |
Nahum on Nineveh: Whatever Happened to Jonah? |
Nahum gives gives us another take on Ninevah, but it is far different
from that of Jonah: how do we reconcile them?
|
| 5 August 2002 |
Habakkuk: Faith and Doubt |
Have you ever had doubts about your Christian faith? What if you lost
six loved ones in one day? Or if your nation was about to be destroyed?
|
| 12 August 2002 |
Zephaniah: The Day of the Lord |
God's judgment is an infrequently-discussed topic. Dan takes a look at its
characteristics and benefits as presented by Zephaniah.
|
| 19 August 2002 |
Haggai: God is with us?! |
This short book presents Haggai's four messages to the children of
Israel as they return from exile. They show how God's ways are different
from ours...and that He is to be acknowledged and trusted despite appearances.
|
| 26 August 2002 |
Zechariah |
We hear a lot about dreams and visions, and their meanings or lack
thereof. Turns out Zechariah had quite a few too.
|
| 2 September 2002 |
Malachi: Prophets Don't Joke |
What is a prophet? What purpose does a prophet fulfil? What do
prophets tell us about the connection between God and ourselves?
|
| 9 September 2002 |
Remembering 911: One Year Later |
Regarding the 9/11 tragedy, what
are some ways we can respond as followers of
Jesus? What are some relevant guiding principles that we should keep in mind?
|
| 16 September 2002 |
God's Grace in Popular Culture: Two Books |
In a culture engaged in a
moral struggle commonly described by military metaphors, where, or how,
does grace fit in?
|
| 23 September 2002 |
The View From Austria, 2002 |
How much of our faith is merely cultural, and how much is real?
In this essay, Dan reflects upon the international nature of Christianity.
|
| 30 September 2002 |
Biotechnology and the Future of Humanity |
Like a huge wildfire that creates its own windstorm,
high technology and big science drag us into situations
we aren't prepared for, politically, socially, or morally.
What is the right course to take between the extremes of no control and
total restriction?
|
| 7 October 2002 |
Successful Failure |
We all experience episodes of failure in life. Many times
we can learn from them. But how does God deal with our failure?
|
| 14 October 2002 |
Bottled Lightning: Early American Pentecostalism |
This essay examines the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement in the
early days of the 20th century, and what it has brought to Christianity
in the years since.
|
| 21 October 2002 |
Why They Hate Us: Cultural Reform or Resurgent Culture? |
What is the source of the anti-western sentiment growing increasingly
evident around the world? Are the problems limited to a few extremists, or do
they arise from fundamental differences between worldviews?
|
| 28 October 2002 |
Modern Sainthood: All Saints Day 2002 |
How do we view sainthood? Who exactly is a saint? This essay takes a
look at differing views.
|
| 4 November 2002 |
Borg on the Bible |
This essay reviews Marcus Borg's approach to interacting with the Bible.
While clearly at odds with much of evangelical thought, his approach
may nevertheless help in taking the Bible seriously.
|
| 11 November 2002 |
The New Cyber Intifada |
Dan reviews Thomas Friedman's recent book Longitudes and Attitudes
and notes how technology, in particular the instant communication
capability of the internet,
can be very destabilizing in our world of suspicion and distrust.
|
| 18 November 2002 |
George Herbert (1593–1633): Pastor and Poet |
A politically- and socially-advantaged person gives up a promising
career in academia and government to become a pastor and poet in a period
when clergymen have been publicly disgraced. Why?
|
| 25 November 2002 |
Thanksgiving 2002: Giving Thanks in an Age of Entitlement |
Grace and gratitude may often be trivialized,
but in reality all that is good in life originates with them.
This essay takes a look at some modern and not-so-modern examples.
|
| 2 December 2002 |
Watching and Waiting: First Sunday in Advent (2002) |
This essay is the first in a six week series of biblical
meditations based upon the Scriptures from the lectionary texts:
Advent (four weeks), New Year's, and Epiphany. The four advent essays are
on waiting, preparation, witness and availability.
|
| 9 December 2002 |
Prepare Him Room: Second Sunday in Advent (2002) |
In this essay, Dan continues his Advent
series with "Prepare Him Room: Second Sunday in Advent".
Dan discusses the theme of preparation through confession and repentance and
how this opens us to God's forgiveness and love.
|
| 16 December 2002 |
Testifying to the Light: Third Sunday in Advent (2002) |
This essay discusses how and why "Testifying to the Light"
can be a joyful act rather than something done with dread and obligation.
|
| 23 December 2002 |
Mary's Availability: Fourth Sunday in Advent |
This week Dan discusses the "Blessed Virgin Mary": Why is she blessed?
In what ways are we like her? What can we learn from her?
|
| 30 December 2002 |
God Our Father: New Year's Day |
Much of society judges us based upon merit and success; God our Father
unconditionally loves us and accepts us.
|
| 6 January 2003 |
Epiphany 2003: Herod and the Magi |
The pagan Magi increased God's Kingom by submitting to Jesus and showing
that Jesus is King of everyone, not just King of the Jews.
Herod tried to narrow God's kingdom by placing Jesus
under his power. Which do we do?
|
| 13 January 2003 |
Shifting Boundaries and Protestant Conversions |
Dan discusses the phenomenon of Protestants converting to Catholicism and
Orthodoxy. Whether it is a defection or a homecoming, what can we learn?
|
| 20 January 2003 |
MLK Jr. Day, 2003 |
For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Dan considers the state of race relations
in America and the Christian role in racial reconciliation.
|
| 27 January 2003 |
Where the Action Is |
"Where is the Spirit blowing today? Think charismatic. Think global.
Then pray that since 'we life by the Spirit, let us keep in step with
the Spirit' "
|
| 3 Feburary 2003 |
Religious Terror |
This week Dan discusses violence in the name of religion.
|
| 10 Feburary 2003 |
Getting by -- Sort of |
This week Dan discusses the economic difficulties of low wage workers
in America and how Christians "should care deeply about these inequities
and do their part to make a difference".
|
| 17 Feburary 2003 |
What Would Jesus Bomb? |
Reflections on a possible war in Iraq.
|
| 24 Feburary 2003 |
Mea Culpa, O Felix Culpa |
Comments on sin and grace.
|
| 3 March 2003 |
Ash Wednesday, 2003 |
Dan begins his Lenten series with a discussion of Ash Wednesday and the practice
of giving up something for Lent.
|
| 10 March 2003 |
Tempted, Tried, and Sometimes Failing |
Dan continues his Lenten series with this essay about temptation and grace.
|
| 17 March 2003 |
He Spoke Plainly |
Should the Christian life be "one rousing victory after another"?
|
| 24 March 2003 |
Lent and the Law |
On the way to the grace of Easter we should consider our relationship to
God's law.
|
| 31 March 2003 |
God Loves the World |
Dan contrasts God's love for the world with the tendency to view ourselves
and America as either the instrument or object of God's wrath.
|
| 7 April 2003 |
Give It Up and Let It Go |
From the small act of giving up something for Lent to the ultimate act
of giving our lives to Christ, Dan discusses how we can
"position ourselves to live life all the more fully in His kingdom today".
|
| 14 April 2003 |
Kings and Kingdoms |
Reflecting on Palm Sunday, Dan contrasts
"the kings and kingdoms of this world and the reign of King Jesus".
|
| 21 April 2003 |
Our Women Amazed Us: Easter 2003 |
For Easter, Dan reflects on the kingdom of God -- the "firstfruits" that we
already have and the promise of what is still to come.
|
| 28 April 2003 |
Remembering Columbine |
Reflections on violence in America.
|
| 5 May 2003 |
Conflicts Without, Fears Within: A Spirituality of Struggle |
The Christian life isn't a "picnic on a green lawn", but the reality of
stuggle can bring about gifts from God.
|
| 12 May 2003 |
Love Thyself |
"Be yourself" -- is this good advice for Christians or not?
|
| 19 May 2003 |
Croatia Revisited |
Dan reflects upon his recent trip to Croatia and how God is working there.
In what ways is the gospel evident in a war-torn land?
|
| 26 May 2003 |
The Dark Side of Democracy |
Dan considers the effects of capitalism and democracy in the world.
|
| 2 June 2003 |
Caesar is Not God |
This essay considers the degree to which the church and state share
common means and purposes—or, in some cases, do not.
|
| 9 June 2003 |
Help in Our Weakness |
This week's essay
reviews the surprising periods of uncertainty and struggle that
were a little-known part of Mother Teresa's life.
|
| 16 June 2003 |
Many Things in Parables |
This essay comments upon the use and interpretation of the parables of Jesus
in ancient times, the modern day, and in-between.
|
| 23 June 2003 |
The Presence of the Future |
What does it mean for the future reality of the kingdom of
God to invade the present?
|
