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Becoming Attention In a Distracted World

What does it mean to “give attention” to something or someone? What does that look like? What faculties are employed? What thoughts are necessary to hold the other in our gaze for moments that matter, anticipating their speech or attending with our hearing in a way that could change us in an instant? In anContinue reading “Becoming Attention In a Distracted World”

“Daddy, Is it our Turn to do the Bread?”

“Daddy, is it our turn to do the bread yet?” my little girls asks, her big brown eyes gazing up at mine awaiting the point in the church service when she gets to “do the bread.” I am often beside myself at how much truth comes from the mouths of babes, especially my own. ThisContinue reading ““Daddy, Is it our Turn to do the Bread?””

Part 3- Becoming an Episcopalian: The Sermon, Crossing Oneself, Smells & Bells

*This is the final essay of my 3 part reflection series “Becoming an Episcopalian,” reflecting on my transition into the Episcopal Church. Please scroll down to see parts 1 & 2 as your leisure or desire so determines* 6. Sermon in Support Role, Eucharist Central One of the striking dissimilarities between a formal and “informal”Continue reading “Part 3- Becoming an Episcopalian: The Sermon, Crossing Oneself, Smells & Bells”

Part 2: Becoming an Episcopalian: Using Written Prayers, Memorizing Prayer/Scripture, & Worship Space

*This post is part 2 of the previous post/reflections on my foray into Episcopalian piety. Please read part 1 for the theological context from which I come prior to being an Episcopalian. I below note three areas of piety that have been quite formative for me (two were noted in the previous post). I offer theseContinue reading “Part 2: Becoming an Episcopalian: Using Written Prayers, Memorizing Prayer/Scripture, & Worship Space”

Becoming an Episcopalian: Observations on Spiritual Practice In The Episcopal Church- Part 1

*This is Part 1 of a 3 part post. This series will offer observations on the following 8 subjects, the first 2 covered in this post: Praying the Psalter, The Role of Scripture, Praying Written Prayers, Memorizing Prayer/Scripture/Songs/Creeds, Worship Space, Role of the Sermon, Crossing Oneself, & affectionately Smells and Bells.* In January I embarked onContinue reading “Becoming an Episcopalian: Observations on Spiritual Practice In The Episcopal Church- Part 1”

Wasting Tragedy

It’s a sinful thing to waste a tragedy. Tragedy is so defined because of its sudden displacing capabilities, an event with the power to change a world, to shake a person to their core. If you must ask if something is tragic, then it’s not tragic. Tragedy is something you feel or observe to theContinue reading “Wasting Tragedy”

In Memoriam: The Epoch of Richard Harper

One of the great tragedies of life is that we can be living in the middle of an epochal moment and take it for granted, pretending the moment somehow will live forever or that the people with whom we share life will continue in their station unabated. We are prisoners of the present, even forContinue reading “In Memoriam: The Epoch of Richard Harper”

Roots

As a young boy, my grandmother would often tell me, with her full blown mid-western Michigan accent “pick up your feet.” I would often turn around, look at her, my face becoming flush with embarrassment that I did not in fact “pick up my feet.” It was such stupid advice, common sense. A person cannotContinue reading “Roots”

Lent as Re-Membering: Reflections on Luke 4

Luke 4 is the traditional text that comes to mind when we consider the beginning of Lent: the 40-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday (Sunday celebration days withstanding) in which we reflect upon the journey of Christ into the wilderness and the temptations he encounters while there. During the season of Lent, weContinue reading “Lent as Re-Membering: Reflections on Luke 4”

The Christ Aporia: his last name is not Christ and he’s not your friend

Originally posted on ParanormalChrist:
Aporia…confusion is of the devil, but aporia is of the Father -this is the least one can say about a definition of the Christ, a symbol as rich as it is dense, as familiar as it is foreign. Or one can say it as John Milbank does in his seminal text,…