I’ve been making jewelry for years, but just recently started making rosaries: a practice that began in Covid lockdown, when I had an abundance of beads and little to do. As a Catholic-flavored Anglican, the rosary is a helpful visual for me during times of quiet prayer. I grew up in a home with mezuzahs:… Continue reading Rosaries and ugly sweaters
Blog
Losing the sting of death
In a recent article for Christianity Today, Ewan C. Goligher writes about the increase of physician-assisted suicides in Canada: Grounding the freedom to be killed in the right to life might seem counterintuitive, but the court reasoned that the criminal prohibition on physician-assisted death could force “some individuals to take their own lives prematurely, for… Continue reading Losing the sting of death
Does Galatians 3:28 teach “Jewish erasure”?
I’ve been rereading Amy-Jill Levine’s book, The Misunderstood Jew. Levine’s work captivates me because she’s an Orthodox Jew who teaches the New Testament at Vanderbilt University. That makes her perspective unique in a world where Jesus’ Jewish background is often forgotten or ignored. While I don’t always agree with her views, Levine’s work is the… Continue reading Does Galatians 3:28 teach “Jewish erasure”?
Where faith meets climate change
My period of spiritual deconstruction is behind me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still experience doubt. It’s still there, clinging to the edges of my prayers, but usually harmless enough that I can ignore them. Other times, I can’t: especially when news reports about climate change continue to prophecy doom and gloom about the… Continue reading Where faith meets climate change
Post-Roe thoughts from the messy political middle
Being in the political middle is messy as it is lonely. I don’t have mutual respect for both dominant parties in the United States; I despise them both for a myriad for reasons (don't worry, I have great love for my Democrat and Republican friends). Voting for the last few years has been a stomach-churning… Continue reading Post-Roe thoughts from the messy political middle
What Jesus taught me about trauma
“If you’re still dealing with trauma and depression, what does that say about Jesus?” This was said to me by a colleague in one of my seminary classes – a counseling seminary class. That was ten years ago, and I still think about it. Unfortunately, it’s not an isolated opinion. I’ve encountered many Christians who… Continue reading What Jesus taught me about trauma
Overturning Roe isn’t enough to eradicate a culture of death
Does anyone care what I think about the increasingly likely possibility of overturning Roe v. Wade? Likely not. I’m admittedly quite hesitant to add my voice to all the noise on the internet right now. In my social media feeds, I see two prevailing perspectives: one from conservatives who are celebrating, and one from liberals… Continue reading Overturning Roe isn’t enough to eradicate a culture of death
The danger of reactionary theology
The online world of deconstructing Christians is a sad one. In private Facebook groups and DMs, I read story after story of adult children being disowned by their parents for coming out of the closet; rape victims being forced to apologize for “adultery” before their congregation; abused wives told by pastors to endure beatings like… Continue reading The danger of reactionary theology
Rethinking sex, celibacy, and abundant life
I’m currently reading The Thrill of the Chaste by Dawn Eden. I read it before when it was first published in 2007, but this is an updated edition in which Eden, who was born Jewish, describes more of her journey to becoming Catholic. I’m naturally a sucker for these stories, so I had to buy… Continue reading Rethinking sex, celibacy, and abundant life
From Deconstruction to Reconstruction: a story of doubt to faith
I became a Christian in the fall of 2008, after growing up in a liberal Jewish household. You would think that someone who made such an extreme conversion would have a great deal of certainty about her faith. But from about 2013 to 2017, I was basically an agnostic. I believed in God, but didn’t… Continue reading From Deconstruction to Reconstruction: a story of doubt to faith