We often get frustrated with the speed at which God works in our lives (slow and steady). I suspect that, in part, it’s because we tend to interpret God’s ways in light of the speed at which we insist on living our lives (fast and hurried). The modern world is a very difficult place for…
I recently started reading Dale Allison’s Encountering Mystery, a book packed with discussions about various religious experiences people sometimes report. It’s been a fun read so far. Toward the end of his chapter on prayer, he cites a study that caught my eye. He writes, “A few years ago, psychologists at Harvard and the University…
In this article, Bono recounts a conversation he once had with Franklin Graham. It’s kind of funny and reminds me of a couple things: (1) some sectors of evangelicalism don’t quite understand the evangel (the gospel) or how to share it; (2) thank God for the renegade poets who do. Graham: “You … you really…
You’re not truly reading Scripture until you allow Scripture to read you. Do you allow the Bible to question your beliefs or do you read it in such a way that it always agrees with you? Do you simply treat the Bible as your personal answer book—a cache of weaponry you can deploy to support…
Here’s what you don’t say when counseling someone who’s come face to face with evil and trauma: “God is in control” or “This was God’s will” or “God did this so you will learn something” or “We shouldn’t ask why ‘bad things happen to good people’ because there are no ‘good people’; we are all sinful,…
One purpose of the Psalms is to liberate us from the lie that says we, as people of faith, can never ask God the tough questions. The truth is that faith-filled prayer isn’t characterized by ignoring the reality of our pains, fears, questions, and doubts. On the contrary, true faith acknowledges them and pours them…
In my last post, I mentioned Michael Gorman’s Reading Revelation Responsibly. That book is definitely one you need to own. Another book on Revelation that I highly recommend is J. Nelson Kraybill’s Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation. It’s been a while since I’ve read it, but it left…
In the Halsted house, we like to read. A lot. We especially value reading out loud to our kids. Whether it’s the Bible or Lewis or whatever, there’s something about hearing the spoken word that is so captivating—and relaxing, especially at the end of the day (the Bible is the best book to read out…
I have been thinking a lot about money and it’s relationship to society in general and to Christians in particular. I’m not sure we think about (and question!) many of our assumptions about this relationship as much as we perhaps should. At any rate, here are a few quick thoughts… Our relationship to money often…
From the Book of Common Prayer: Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic Church. Fill itwith all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it isamiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is inwant,…