Ritual
“….a child at play is a child engaging in ritual activities. Rituals have rules, meaning, purpose, even repetition. It is not childish – it is merely human…Those who utter phrases such as “empty ritual” (something I’ve heard all my life) forget that it is God who first gave ritual to the people of Israel. This primary story about the faith runs counter to modern intuitions. For we presume that real things and true things are in the mind. It is thought and sentiment that we co
Church
“Attending church is not the same as being united to the Church. Salvation is not granted by presence in a building, but by synergy—the...
Cross
“To be made in the image of God is a sign of highest dignity; so high, in fact, that outside of Christ no human being can even be said to...
Education
Quotes of the Day for August 21, 2024 – Thoughts on education and faith “… over the past 100-150 years, humanity has made huge...
Stewardship and Creation
“…mankind’s God-given mission is set forth: “Let them have dominion over . . . all the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Respect and care for God’s...
Wisdom (2)
“… the acquisition of wisdom is always conditional, for God makes wisdom available only when two major “ifs” apply to us: “if [we] call...
Crowd
“The crowd (pick a crowd, any crowd) is a terrible substitute for God. We desire God (and the desire for God is innate because we are...
People's Stories
“Every person goes on a unique journey related to his or her faith and spirituality, and every story matters.” (David Kinnaman) “If there...
Character and Choices
“All of life’s choices have consequences, consequences for ourselves and consequences for the world around us. And when we fall into the...
Information
“In our information age, many resources are readily available for us to seek the Lord—too many. A story from the desert fathers gives...