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The Priority of Love
And a lawyer stood up and put [Jesus] to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live” (Luke 10:25-28).
The lawyer’s question is very straightforward – it’s about salvation.
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Sometimes Thanksgiving Isn’t Easy
Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season. This week, in spite of Covid precautions, many families and friends will gather. We will eat, drink, watch football – all in the spirit of gratitude. Even so, many of us will be experiencing depression and grief. The celebration will mask our sorrows.
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When We Lose Faith
Doubt, Faith, and the Grace of God
In my research and writing on Pentecostal sacramentality I have come to appreciate the tension between ex opere operate and ex opere operantis. Please bear with me. The classic Catholic understanding of sacraments is that they convey God’s grace ex opere operate, that is, by virtue of the act. The faith of the recipient is not required. As long as the sacrament is properly administered and grace is not resisted, grace is conveyed. The classic Protestant understanding of sacraments is ex opere operantis, that is, by virtue of the work. Grace is conveyed because of the faith of the recipient and/or the celebrant.
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Why I Love the Church
It has become popular sport to cheer the demise of the church. I guess it’s a part of the DNA of Protestantism to protest, even if it means protesting oneself out of the faith. I remember Bishop John Shelby Spong’s protest in his book Why Christianity must Change or Die. The spirit of Spong can now be read in the works of Brian McClaren, and others. The problem is that this is becoming mainstream. Even among Pentecostals, those over enthused fundamentalist, we hear some of the same. A friend recently shared a post in which someone listed “15 reasons I left the church.” That provoked me to ask myself, “Why do I love the church?” Well, I love the church because…
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