Hayley and Vince dig deeper on how a solidarity mindset is distinct from a charity mindset, with a focus on the role and promise of community. (Illustration by Lauren Rolwing for The Southeast Center For Cooperative Development)
Read MoreEaster's celebration of Resurrection isn't about elevating Jesus above all, like an authoritarian emperor. It's a vision of hope and justice to lift up ALL people, that begins with Jesus, and moves forward by the power of persuasion, not force.
Read MoreVince & Keziah tell on themselves to surface various nuggets and insights on conflict resolution that have helped them over their 15 years of marriage, and highlight what a difference-maker it is to actually living those things out when you feel seen by a God of Love. (Image by jean wimmerlin on Unsplash)
Read MoreIs there any hope? Or should we just "eat and drink, for tomorrow we die"? The 1st century Jewish version of the age-old struggle of hope vs. cynicism was the debate over whether to believe in "the resurrection of the dead." Can something from that debate then inspire us in our versions of the struggle today? (Art by Morgan Harper Nichols)
Read MoreIs God always angry? For Palm Sunday -- which begins Holy Week's march toward Good Friday -- we continue our differentiation from the American Christian legacy that we are "sinners in the hands of an angry God", with a focus on alternative ways to believe in the power of Jesus' crucifixion.
Read MoreHealthy unlearning or deconstruction isn't burning down what was before. It is looking back on our younger selves with love and fondness, not disdain or embarrassment. It is differentiating and integrating what was before into a broader, more beautiful story. (Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash)
Read MoreNo matter how much (or little) we personally pick up the Bible, we all can influence how it is evoked in our culture: away from terrorizing applications, toward beautiful applications. This week's focus is inspired by one of our favorite responses to our survey about "Texts of Terror". It was two words: "Paul. LOL."
Read MoreConcluding our discussion of the modern experience of crushing, constant guilt, Hayley and Vince move us to the topic of grace: a close-relative of forgiveness, but also distinct in important ways.
Read MorePsychological growth often involves leaving behind coping mechanisms from our past that used to protect us but now harm us. Spiritual growth often involves doing the same with religious coping mechanisms. Seeing this process through requires an ability to look back at our past selves with compassion rather than disdain.
Read MoreMost of the images Jesus and St. Paul used to describe life are organic things that grow and change -- soil, vines, bodies, families -- rather than manufactured or mechanistic things that follow formulas. There's A LOT of wisdom behind that! (Art by Scott Erickson: @scottthepainter)
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