Every now and then, there is an event or a season in which I hearken back to my Jewish roots. It’s not that I shut down my Christian identity, but rather allow a part of me that normally lies dormant to temporarily take the stage. The High Holy Days in Judaism are one such season.… Continue reading RBG and Spiritual Dysphoria
Category: Theology
Racism and the importance of communal repentance
One Jewish concept that carried over into Christianity is that of communal repentance. In ancient times, the sins of a community were atoned for with blood sacrifices. Today, communal repentance takes place one day a year on Yom Kippur, where Jews gather in synagogue to recognize the sins that were committed during the past year.… Continue reading Racism and the importance of communal repentance
When words fail, liturgy speaks
I've lost loved ones from suicide and cancer. I've written a book about living with unresolved pain and suffering. And yet, I think I'm more of an "expert" (I use the term loosely) on what not to say to hurting people rather than what to say. It's a lot easier to be dismissive or insensitive… Continue reading When words fail, liturgy speaks
What toxic Christians tell us about Jesus
From time to time, I read blogs by atheists and skeptics as a way of keeping tabs, so to speak, on the current image of Christians. This is one way I try to better myself so I'm not "one of them" - one of the believers that gives Jesus a bad name by my example.… Continue reading What toxic Christians tell us about Jesus
The gospel of “self help”
There’s a lot of advice out there about how to conquer your problems and live your “best life.” I’ve never been entirely certain about what that means. How to become rich and famous? How to be great-looking and best dressed? I have no idea. Just perusing the Self-Help section at Barnes and Noble, I notice… Continue reading The gospel of “self help”
Sharing toilet paper with Jesus
I pre-ordered Laura Fabrycky's book, Keys to BonHoeffer's House, back in January, and was fortunate to have my local independent bookstore ship it to me last week despite being closed due to the coronavirus. I haven't been able to put it down since I pulled it from my mailbox. Bonhoeffer, a theologian living in Nazi-occupied… Continue reading Sharing toilet paper with Jesus
The way we talk about Pharisees, and why it matters
With the Lenten season coming up, it's time to discuss something that's been on my mind for a while: Pharisees. Odd, I know -- that's not something that normal people think about, except perhaps how not to be one of them: those hostile, unbending, legalistic Jews of the 1st century. The ones who scolded Jesus… Continue reading The way we talk about Pharisees, and why it matters
Humanity is not all right
I am still asked from time to time why Judaism wasn’t “good enough” for me to keep it as my religion. A common misunderstanding when it comes to religious conversion is that it’s all about what fulfills me at a personal level, or makes me happy. I did not leave Judaism because it wasn’t making… Continue reading Humanity is not all right
Why you can’t divorce suffering from the gospel
Some time ago, I read a tweet by someone who claimed that Christianity should not exist among indigenous groups. In other words, if violent missionaries did not threaten minorities to convert on pain of death, then none of them would be Christian today. They would have no reason to be. Much to my surprise, this… Continue reading Why you can’t divorce suffering from the gospel
A Jew-ish perspective on the Eucharist
I should probably hand over my Protestant membership card (assuming I ever had one) for how much thought I've given to the Eucharist lately: just how essential is it to Christian worship? Is it the literal body and blood of Christ, or purely symbolic? Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre… Continue reading A Jew-ish perspective on the Eucharist