4 Corners - Trouble Over the Bridge
“What’s today’s event?” Asked dad. “It’s called ‘Trouble Over the Bridge’ with selected readings from the play and a panel discussion.” Dad then began to go into the history of the play. Recalling the controversy around Sam Thompson’s theatrical examination of sectarianism in the shipyards of Belfast in the 1950s, a stark reminder that the religious and political bigotry that led to “The Troubles” was deeply ingrained in the culture well ahead of 1969.
4 Corners Festival - Opening Night
As a young Protestant boy growing up in Belfast my imagination wasn’t nearly creative enough to picture a scenario where the Pope would send personal greetings to an ecumenical gathering at the Anglican cathedral where his biographer was going to be speaking.
With Blood On Our Hands
The love of our neighbors is a command not a suggestion. Taking care of the “least of these” is the measure by which we shall be judged. If we don’t take notice and pursue a more equitable and just world then we have blood on our hands.
Clergy - Cancel Culture
Ask any pastor if they have had people try to have them “cancelled” and, if they trust you and are willing to share, every one of them will have numerous stories to share. The reality is that almost all of the attempts to cancel pastors have little if anything to do with theology, it’s almost always, politics and personalities.
I’m a good Irish Presbyterian, or am I?
We all have family histories that shape who we are. Here’s part of my story …
Finding Space to Breath
In a busy and hectic world we all need to find space to slow down and breathe. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to pay attention to the presence of the divine with a call to, "Be still, and know that I am God." Do you take time to make space for the divine in your life?
Six Degrees of Separation
What does it mean for us to say that we are only six social connections from anyone else on the planet? Some brief thoughts on our connectedness.
I don’t want to say, “I told you so.”
I haven’t written in a while because I didn’t want to simply write, “I told you so.” I didn’t want to sound patronizing. Yet, my frustration is that everything that happened last week at the nation’s capitol was entirely predictable.
Adjectival Christianity
I want to use the term Christian without any modifiers, no adjectives. I believe adjectival Christianity is the source of so many of the problems facing the church.
Reflecting on “Taking America Back For God”
Whitehead and Perry share that “The desperate quest for power inherent in Christian nationalist ideology is antithetical to Jesus’ message. At its core, Christian nationalism is a hollow and deceptive philosophy that depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ.”