Sailing the Last Voyage with Newton and Pascal
I'm kicking off the New Year with the song Ma Vie (My Life), from the album De l'abondance du coeur, la bouche parle (For what fills the heart will rise to the lips) by the French group Les Reflets. It is in French, but the version podcasted has video that goes with my piece When …
Continue reading "My Life, and a Challenge for Missional Ministers"
It seems that this time of year, far from being the joyful time of Christmas coming into the anticipation of a New Year, has become (for me at least) one of tragedy. That's spilled over into this blog, from reflections of my mother's own Christmastime death (Delayed for My Appointment) to the tragic suicide of …
I recently received an incoming link from a South African (I think) site called Katoikei's Jukebox to my page on Tom Autry. Much to my surprise, I found four Ray H. Hughes Sr. sermons posted on this site as well. My Church of God readers know Dr. Hughes, former General Overseer, former president of Lee …
This piece originally dates from 2005. Christmas is over. The cat (and probably the children too) has found that the boxes and the wrapping paper are more fun than the presents were. Now we turn to the celebration of Hanukkah, late this year but better late than never. Hanukkah is not the greatest Jewish feast—that …
Continue reading "Blast from the Past: Hanukkah: Opening Shot in the Culture Wars"
One of the really nice albums I've posted is The Kairosingers' Of One Accord. I recently received an interesting response from Charlie Balsam (now Director of the Jason's Deli Leadership Institute): I am from Houston, but went to Lamar University, where I got involved with campus ministry. That is where the group met each other....the …
Continue reading "The Kairosingers: Some Background From One of the Performers"
In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organised brigandage? For, what are bands of brigands but petty kingdoms?  They also are groups of men, under the rule of a leader, bound together by a common agreement, dividing their booty according to settled principle. If this band of criminals, by recruiting more criminals, acquires …
Continue reading "St. Augustine: When Government and Brigands are Hard to Tell Apart"
From the 1662 Book of Common Prayer: O LORD, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily …
Continue reading "The Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Advent"
Anglicans Online notes that the Third Sunday in Advent is "Gaudete Sunday."Â If they want to bring it alive, one way is to feature Steeleye Span's (the 1970's British folk group that brought that genre of music alive to so many of us) version of the ancient Latin hymn, as you can see it below. …
An interesting thought, from Sherry Weddell at the Catherine of Siena Institute: In 1970, only 16% of non Catholic, non-Orthodox Christians qualified as renewalists. By 2000, 60% of Reformation heritage Christians in the world were renewalists. And a significant percentage of the remaining 40%, who would not formally qualify as renewalists, have nonetheless absorbed some …
I've been doing a little "Rocky Mountain High" in Colorado the last few days so I've not been blogging much, but during that time the whole Ponzi scheme of Bernard Madoff has broken. For most investors, smarting from the already gargantuan losses in the stock market, it doesn't have much impact (yet, at least.) But …
Continue reading "Bernie Madoff: A Disaster of Biblical Proportions–and Meaning"
Positive Infinity 