Pain Medicine: Trayvon, Simon of Cyrene, and Jesus #MennoNerdsOnLoss

For several weeks I have been telling people that Zimmerman would not be found guilty. Silly folks all around me had convinced themselves that the evidence would result in the outcome of a guilty conviction. Most thought 2nd degree murder was possible but figured that Zimmerman at least would be convicted of manslaughter. I insistedContinue reading “Pain Medicine: Trayvon, Simon of Cyrene, and Jesus #MennoNerdsOnLoss”

The Will Of God: More Abstractions So We Can Avoid Following Jesus

My title says it all, I probably don’t have to say another word… but I will. 😉 I have grown up hearing Christians talk a lot about aligning themselves to the ‘will of God’. People wrestle constantly over whether they are aligned with God’s will’. This is the most sacred of tasks for many people.Continue reading “The Will Of God: More Abstractions So We Can Avoid Following Jesus”

The Particularity of Christ: Resurrecting Jesus from Abstraction

So, I am realizing more and more that I am more of a post-Christendom theologian than a purely postcolonial theologian (though they are highly related). This is especially true because of my concern that the ‘Christendom Shift’ (the imperial favor Christianity received during Constantine that mutated its core essentials) has marginalized, distorted, and domesticated Jesus.Continue reading “The Particularity of Christ: Resurrecting Jesus from Abstraction”

Book Review: Dem Dry Bones by Luke Powery

There is little doubt that preaching can be big business, a commodity of sorts, which can be manipulatively packaged in a way that is extremely profitable. And while forms of ‘prosperity gospel’ are both popular, and if honest, speak to the aspirations of many poor people, the question still remains, how does it minister toContinue reading “Book Review: Dem Dry Bones by Luke Powery”

Other Religions

I am currently in a World Religions course at Biblical Seminary (a great place to learn for anyone interested in studying in the Philadelphia area, especially if your interested in the urban context.) Anyway, one question that I am forced to wrestle with over and over again while thinking about folks all around the worldContinue reading “Other Religions”

Visiting Buddhist Temple

Tomorrow as part of my World Religions class we will be visiting a Buddhist temple. While I won’t me converting, worshiping Buddha, or practicing any eastern form of meditation, I do want to engage on some level. My hope is that I can empathize with those who will be at the service, understanding what specific motivations drawContinue reading “Visiting Buddhist Temple”

A Child is Born

We don’t know exactly what Jesus looked like, in the Occident most portrayals of Jesus are blond haired and blue eyed. Some scholars are describing him as Afro-Asiatic in descent given his background, geography, and the common ethnic mixing of that particular time. While we don’t know exactly what he looked like, I always appreciateContinue reading “A Child is Born”

Granny Chen (Great Grandmother past away).

My Great Grandmother past away yesterday at the full age of 103 years old.  She was blessed to keep her mind together basically for her entire life, which is often rare these days for those who have the privilege of living that long. The picture below was taken during her big 100th birthday a fewContinue reading “Granny Chen (Great Grandmother past away).”

A Song from Mark Williams from The Pittsburgh Project

Had the pleasure of hearing him perform this song over the summer when I took some youth there for a week of service. All I can say is powerful!!!  (Oh and excuse the bad camera work, they were moving it all around at the end).

You are Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind and Naked!

The third chapter of the book of Revelations Jesus writes a letter to the church of Laodicea. This community is a relatively wealthy community that seems to have all the material possessions one could want.  The letter written to them speaks into their context of financial security and wealth, greed, complacency, and self reliance.  SoundsContinue reading “You are Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind and Naked!”