New Ways to Look at Fathers

June 15, 2008.Reading time 8 minutes.

On Father’s Day this year, I remind myself that parenting is hard. And it’s getting harder all the time. It’s not just the outside forces that are challenging to a parent’s influence and effectiveness, it’s also internal changes to our family structures themselves that have pushed the envelope. I have always said that the untold […]

A JackO-Lantern’s Heart

October 31, 2007.Reading time 3 minutes.

To the best of my knowledge, Peter Mayer holds the distinction of having written the world’s only Halloween folk song. You may not have heard it, but it’s really pretty popular in the acoustic music world. And when I Googled it, I even discovered a sculpture inspired by it I hope you will not only […]

Labor Day 2006

September 5, 2006.Reading time 4 minutes.

Labor Day 2006 A reflection by Dr. Joerg Rieger, Professor of Systematic Theology, Perkins School of Theology When asked about the most important commandment, Jesus replied: “You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” … and “You […]

30 Days (A TV Show You Should See)

August 13, 2006.Reading time 8 minutes.

The show comes from Morgan Spurlock, who brought us the award-winning documentary, “Supersize Me!” If you’ll remember, the premise of that film was that Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald’s food for 30 straight days to see just what, if any, affects it would have on his body and health. If you saw the film, you […]

Monster Truck Liturgy

April 14, 2006.Reading time 2 minutes.

Most religious folks could stand to laugh more. Often, they’re either obsessed with their own personal holiness, or obsessed with the fight for social justice. And, either way, these attitudes don’t lend themselves to side-splitting humor. Frederick Buechner once had a character in his novel called “the joking cousin.” A native American, that person’s task […]

Getting Priorities Straight (Mike Holmgren and hs wife remind us about what’s important)

February 6, 2006.Reading time 5 minutes.

Before the game gets going in a little while, I wanted to post this story that I just read about. This is the kind of story I love to hear about, and it makes all the hype and bs of the day fade away for me for a moment….maybe it will for you too. Here’s […]

What the Bleep….do we know?

January 11, 2005.Reading time 2 minutes.

I saw “What the Bleep Do we Know” the other day….last Friday afternoon, actually. I’d been wanting to see it for some time, because of my natural interest in spiritual things. Many of you have recommended that I see it. I came away really having enjoyed it, but also with having been troubled by some […]