In this series on my journey to ordination in the United Church of Christ, I've been sharing some of the specifics of what my life has been like in recent months as a Member in Discernment. In this post, I explore how my current theology has been informed by lessons I've learned from 10 denominations or traditions. As I engage in this reflection I'm mindful of the nine congregations I've served, which are shown below: (1) First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) - Duncanville, TX; (2) Central Read More …
theology
Top 20 Posts – All Time (#2024)
I've written more than 2,000 posts here at So What Faith over the last 13 years. The Top 1% of these form the Top 20 Posts of All Time (based on total page views). The list below includes the title of each post, year of publication, and change in popularity when compared to last year's list of top all time posts. Prayers of the People – Youth Sunday (2009) [+1]Pastoral Prayer – Love (2014) [-1]Are 10,000 Churches Closing Every Year? (2019) [unchanged]Review of Not a Read More …
Top 20 Posts – All Time (#1907)
Since launching So What Faith in 2009, I've written more than 1,900 posts about matters of faith that matter. Based on page views, my all time most popular posts (as of December 28, 2020) are Prayers of the People - Youth Sunday (2009) Pastoral Prayer – Love (2014) Review of Not a Fan (2011) 12 Marks of Convergence Christianity (2012) My Visit to Next Level Church (2012) Sermon: Lost --> Found --> Party (2015) Are 10,000 Churches Closing Every Year? (2019) Reading Read More …
Top 10 Posts of All Time (#1769)
I started So What Faith back in 2009, and added Google analytics to the site in 2013. Based on data gathered from 2013 to present the top all time posts are Pastoral Prayer - Love (2014) Prayers of the People - Youth Sunday (2009) 12 Marks of Convergence Christianity (2012) My Visit to Next Level Church (2012) Valentine's Expectations (2013) Leaders Clear Obstacles (2015) Pulpit Plagiarism (2014) Review of Not a Fan (2011) Theology on Tap (2011) The Immigrants Creed Read More …
Embracing New Perspectives (#1579)
My wife and I have been homeowners as long as we have been a couple with a small gap between the sale of one home and purchase of another years ago. Normal for us has been owning one home, except for temporarily owning two while in the process of relocating. When the housing bubble burst and our primary residence was so far underwater we could no longer see the surface, we chose to buy then to buy again in hopes that when the market started to rise again we could Read More …
Back to Our Jesus-Roots (#1491)
John Dominic Crossan is among those who have shaped and continue to shape my understanding of who Jesus was and why that matters for me as one who seeks to earnestly follow the Way of Jesus. His two most recent books have each made my top books of the year in the year they were published: The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction About Jesus (2012 Top Books List) and The Greatest Prayer Ever: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of the Lord’s Prayer (2010 Top Read More …
A Unique Valentine’s Weekend (#1321)
Back in the summer of 2012, I invited Diana Butler Bass to spend some time at Naples United Church of Christ in February 2014. After eighteen months of planning by a great team, we are now ready for an unforgettable Valentine's Day and weekend. In the News Yesterday, the Collier Citizen ran an article by Mollie Page. Page interviewed Butler Bass about our event. Page writes: She’s a voice for theological sanity in an uncertain world. Religious historian Diana Butler Bass is Read More …
Radical Hospitality Isn’t Enough (#0825)
Scott Benhase, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia, recently wrote that radical hospitality alone is no longer adequate. In his understanding, the theology most commonly undergirding radical hospitality is such that it supposes something of a "law of attraction" wherein "if we’re just open and welcoming enough people will naturally be attracted to us and want to come and join our churches." In reality, the number of people who are attracted continues to dwindle thereby Read More …
Thinking Theologically – Social Media (#0783)
It is important that Christian leaders understand and engage in social media. This activity must include both learning about new social media tools and theological reflection. Since finding the balance between these two is difficult, many have given inadequate attention to the theological component. Verity A. Jones, project director of the New Media Project and a Research Fellow at Union Theological Seminary, recently wrote an article that should be required reading Read More …
Reorganizing Denominations (#0769)
In the "Under Discussion" column in the June edition of Christianity Today, six evangelical leaders responded to the question "Should denominations be organized geographically?" Their responses follow: Yes: Carl Trueman and Greg Peters Between Yes and No: Bob Thompson and R. Albert Mohler Jr. No: Will Willimon and Paul Detterman (p.12). So What? I often write about the future of denominations on this blog. The only thing about which I am certain is that the future will look Read More …