What I am Learning About Baptism
Jan18

What I am Learning About Baptism

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It’s taken me a little over a week to read through and digest (or at least begin to digest) all the comments and fabulous conversation about baptism. Which is why I title this post, “What I am learning about baptism,” rather than “learned” or even “believe,” let alone “know for sure.” What you all have shared keeps teaching me about baptism and for that I am grateful. So, several things: 1) We don’t talk about Baptism enough! Goodness gracious, but there were enough marvelous questions, great insights, strong opinions, and wonderfully open invitations to dialogue that we could fill who knows how many Sunday mornings with...

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Vulnerable God, Vulnerable Church
Jan15

Vulnerable God, Vulnerable Church

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Vulnerability is a big theme with me – in life, in relationships, in theology. It’s one of the reasons I’m such a big fan of Brené Brown. In her TED Talks on vulnerability and shame, and in books like Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection, she writes candidly and movingly about the importance of being vulnerable and the challenges to doing so. It’s a key theological category for me because I think it’s what we see so vividly in the person and ministry of Jesus. Not only there, of course, as the God who commits to creation, gives over free will, offers laws and guidance, pleads for people to treat each other well, gets angry...

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A Baptismal Hymn
Jan12

A Baptismal Hymn

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Baptism is on my mind. Tomorrow is the Sunday of the Baptism of our Lord, and so last week I wrote a column on that for Working Preacher. This morning’s devotional reading happened to be Luke’s brief description of Jesus’ baptism as well. And near the beginning of the week I wrote a...

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Luke 3:21-22
Jan12

Luke 3:21-22

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Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” This brief...

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What Is Baptism?
Jan08

What Is Baptism?

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Do you remember anything about your baptism? If you’re like me – that is, if you were baptized as a baby – the answer is probably “no.” A second question: do you remember any stories about your baptism that your parents or others present have told you over the years. The two details...

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U R a St!
Nov01

U R a St!

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Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m not on Facebook. I took a little grief for that over the weekend, and figured I’d better come clean. I’m not on Twitter either. And I hardly ever text (although that’s changing as my kids get cell phones). It’s not that I have anything against Facebook or Twitter and the rest. Honest. For me, it’s just the issue of time – finding the time to learn it, set it up, do it, maintain it, and all the rest. So there it is (huge sigh of relief). But if I were on Facebook, Twitter, and had lightening-fast texting thumbs, the message I would post on my wall (does FB still have that?), Tweet, and text would...

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Mark 3:31-35
May19

Mark 3:31-35

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Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking...

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Mark 1:9-11
Apr23

Mark 1:9-11

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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well...

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Mark 1:9-10
Apr21

Mark 1:9-10

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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. Take note: the heavens don’t simply part in this scene. No, they are torn...

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Mark 1:9
Apr20

Mark 1:9

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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. There’s some serious ambivalence about this verse. Actually, it’s not the verse, but the event it narrates. So before getting to the specifics of the story of Jesus’ baptism, I want to spend a...

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Mark 1:2-8
Apr19

Mark 1:2-8

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As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
”See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.’” John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a...

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