One of the most prominent topics of conversation in The Pastoral is Political has been an ongoing discussion of just what is political and what is appropriate to speak to from the pulpit (or, more broadly, what action is appropriate for ordained clergy to take and what is not). There are members of our congregations… Read More
The Pastoral is Political
Another Coming Out For people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or queer (LGBTQ+), “coming out,” or identifying consciously as LGBTQ+, whether to themselves or another, is both a rite of passage and a continuous process. It’s never over, since while a person may be “out” to family, friends, church, and work, every new… Read More
The Pastoral is Political
Matthew 22:31-40 The Human One will come in glory with all the angels, and will sit on a throne. The people of all nations will be brought before the Human One, who will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats. The Human One will place the sheep on the right and the… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Overwhelmed
Do you feel overwhelmed? I mean, clergy often feel that way, just in the natural course of things. But these days, there are ever more reasons to feel overwhelmed. The last couple of weeks have seen protests in the streets unlike anything we’ve seen for many years—and the police response is only reinforcing the point… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Beginning Again
A new year, a new month–a time for the traditional review of the past and a look ahead to the future, for resolutions and hopes and goals and plans. Time for a look back at what we’ve done and what we want to do in the coming year(s). Time for a fresh start, to reexamine… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Who is My Neighbor?
Disturbing defendants are our neighbors, too. Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Life “On the Inside”
I get questions… As I have continued my spiritual advocacy for LGBQ+ people on the inside (aka prison ministry to incarcerated LGBTQ+ people), I have discovered how little is known about life on the inside, including by clergy. So, here’s a bit of summary. Note: All of these aspects will vary, depending on whether a… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Choosing the Main Thing
There’s a lot coming at us these days—families separated at the border; health care under threat; racial profiling everywhere, from lemonade stands to police stops to coffee shops to funerals (funerals!); multiple political maneuverings to keep track of and decide which are important and which are “nothingburgers;” multiple indictments handed down against Russians this past… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Visiting Peter
Note: Described below is a typical jail visit; “Peter” is fictional. I hurry down the sidewalk in the cold, my face numb in the two-block walk from my car. The jail’s high brick wall towers over me to my right. As I approach the gate and the other people gathered there, I reach into my… Read More
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