The Pastoral is Political: Consumerism Kills

In Biblical terms, the word for “consume” means to waste or burn away (the Hebrew is “shmad”). To consume literally means to burn up. It is an act of violence. To lay waste to. To use up, expend, dissipate. I think of this more and more as we continue to have conversations of about our… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Beginnings (Genesis 1:1-2:4a)

“September is another January,” writer Gretchen Rubin says often, conveying the feeling of a new start in September. In the U.S., where I live, school is starting, and students, aides and teachers are back to in-person learning in many places. This year, the beginning also feels dangerous, with COVID still hovering. Churches shift to fuller… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Muddy Revelations (Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17, 3:1-8)

When the woman opened her closet door, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Definitely not what I saw on the full shelves. Serving as a hospice chaplain, I was always interested in what people did to prepare for the death they knew was coming. Family visits, long-delayed trips, going to the beach and sitting outside… Read More

Revised Common Lectionary: Unexpected Points of Connection

On this Sunday in which the northern hemisphere is in deep summer, images of new life and growth show up in our lectionary offerings. In our journey through Genesis, Jacob is on a road trip, fleeing the furious twin from whom he finagled a birthright and stole a blessing. With a stone for a pillow,… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Mixed Martial Arts [Genesis 32:[9-13] 22-30]

Our physical bodies so often reveal our emotional tensions. The person who is carrying the weight of the world has shoulders that slump inward, bowed by an invisible, deeply felt burden. The person who is all bent out of shape emotionally also has mysterious aches and pains. The one who can’t stand something develops pain… Read More

The Pastoral is Political: Turn out the lights

Light pollution is one visible symptom of our undoing of the order of Creation. The separation of day and night is countered by round-the-clock activity and artificial illumination. We refuse to submit ourselves to the bounds that God set for us. We have rebelled from the beginning. But this past weekend, for a brief moment, I glimpsed hope. Read More

RCL: God’s Got Us Covered

Many years ago, I sent out post cards to about 400 senior high youth that said the following: Would you marry a prostitute? Come to Sunday School and find out. Needless to say, I received a number of phone calls from concerned parents. I also had a full Sunday school class for a few weeks.… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Finding Faith in the Desert

Have you ever been at the point in your life when one thing you wanted, just one thing, was more important to you than anything else? When life could have handed you a million dollars, a brand new car, and a whole household full of new appliances, and it wouldn’t have meant a thing? Because… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Creation- Again!- Edition

Scripture can be found here… Working Preacher commentary by Roger Nam can be found here… Welcome to Year 2 of the Narrative Lectionary! (Frequently Asked Questions can be found here…) If someone asked you to sit down and tell them the story of God’s relationship to this world and the people in it, hitting all… Read More