Reading my own words in the last post made me nervous. Evangelism scares me. The very word still makes my spine sort of wiggle against the back of my chair. I know this is specific to my odd liberal culture. On NPR, in the New Yorker, and in most of the Episcopal Church “evangelism” is a dirty word.… Continue

After a couple of days with Phyllis Tickle, I’ve decided it’s all Whoopi Goldberg’s fault.… Continue

This is the first time in several years that I haven't spent March preparing to leave for El Salvador, to be a pilgrim on the road to the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero. I've been thinking a great deal about pilgrimage lately. As part of a course this January we had to write up a "Rule of Life." We had to describe the faith practices that give meaning and shape to our life. I included a section on pilgrimage.



Regular Pilgrimage

In addition to weekly worship, it is important for… Continue

Sometimes Jesus doesn’t make a lot of sense. In today’s Gospel reading he exhorts his followers to fast, but also tells them not to make a big deal of it. Though the Old Testament reading from Joel tells us to “Blow the Trumpet. Sanctify a fast.” Jesus says specifically, “Do not blow a trumpet.” Confusing.

I grew up thinking of Lent kind of like a Christian version of New Year’s resolutions. It was a time to start a diet, give up caffeine or chocolate, stop smoking or swearing, or doing… Continue