Brian McLaren weighs in on the Dobson vs. Obama debacle

Chances are you’ve heard about James Dobson’s recent comments about a speech that Barack Obama made a little while back.
If you haven’t, then great, don’t bother looking into it.  It’s the same old, same old, stuff that people like Dobson have been saying for a long time.  Stop reading this post now and go do [...]

NT Wright on dropping African debt

Interesting piece by NT Wright (as usual), defending his opinion that the massive debts that many African countires owe to Western countries and banks should be canceled.  Here’s a few quotes to whet your appetite:
In the 1970s, for example, Western financial institutions loaned the best part of a billion dollars to Idi Amin of Uganda [...]

a bit of a tongue twister, but…

…Yet perhaps it is precisely this that we are being called to: engaging in that most difficult task of putting our religion to death so that a religion without religion can spring forth.
-Peter Rollins, from his new book The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church Beyond Belief

A bit of a tongue twister, I admit…  but [...]

Israel vs Palestine: Is there a “third way”?

Fantastic article called Israel/Palestine: Which Side Are You On?
Here are a few good quotes, but you should definitely read the whole thing:
Every time I read the two sides on the Middle East conflict, I can’t help but notice a strange resemblance in their narratives. There is the common sense of gloom, for one. There is, [...]

seriously, He’s not angry…

Just go get this and watch it…

Better yet, go get this, invite everyone you know over, and watch it together.

Rob Bell on Suffering

Here’s a neat video clip of Rob Bell, speaking at something called Seeds of Compassion InterSpiritual Day, in which different leaders from different religious backgrounds came together to discuss important issues.
I can’t actually embed the video here on this page, so you’ll have to go over to the original poster’s blog and check it out [...]

we are the Pharisees

“The church in North America is not like the Pharisees—we are the Pharisees, and Jesus does not like Pharisees.” -Reggie McNeal
( HT: Emergent Village -> The M Blog )

Innerrancy or Truth

What provides “home run power” – is it the bat, or the batter’s swing? Both, of course.
Vanhoozer likens Scripture, the written Word of God, as the bat, and the triune God speaking through it as the batter. So the statements “Scripture is true” and “the living God speaks truly through Scripture” are not necessarily equivalent [...]

Life after college for Twenty-somethings

Here’s a really insightful post from The Suburban Christian, that I think rings pretty true for people in their 20’s.
A few choice quotes here, but follow the link above and check out the whole thing:
“The evidence suggests overwhelmingly that young adulthood is a time when other social institutions fail to be of much help. . [...]

“May God bless us with discomfort…”

A Franciscan Benediction
May God bless us with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that we may live from deep within our hearts.
May God bless us with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of God’s creations
So that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless us with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, [...]