Monthly Archives: June 2015

Editorial: The SCOTUS Decision

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Steve Harper

Various writers have rightly noted that the SCOTUS decision on same-sex marriage is an interpretation of the Constitution and its advocacy of equal treatment under the law.  They have rightly pointed out that the decision is not directly based on … Continue reading →

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Journey: The Lifegiving Difference

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Steve Harper

Read: Spirit of Unity and Diversity As far back as my seminary days in the early 1970’s, I can remember Dr. Dennis Kinlaw saying that the Trinity is the distinguishing mark of Christianity.  And since then, I have heard him … Continue reading →

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Editorial: Living in the New Day

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Steve Harper

The SCOTUS ruling on same-sex marriage is a long-awaited decision for many, including gay and straight Christians who have spent decades advocating for this.  It is a day for thanksgiving. But one of the lessons of history is that the … Continue reading →

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For the Bride: Radical Trust

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Steve Harper

The church’s perrennial call to repentance is rooted in our belief in God’s willingness and ability to forgive sin.  Judgmentalism was, however, eschewed by the early Christians because they believed it was a diminishment of that belief. One of the … Continue reading →

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In-Sight: Another Way To Look At It

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Steve Harper

In much of the contemporary conversation about the Church, we use life/death language to frame what we say.  So, some allege they are in a “dead” church, while just down the road others claim theirs is “alive.”  And from there, … Continue reading →

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Journey: Love In A Big House

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Steve Harper

Read:  Spirit of Love–Loving Self By including “as you love yourself” in the second great commandment, Jesus created a God-other-self love that requires all three expressions to be in place if things are to work as God intends. But in … Continue reading →

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Editorial: In the Absence of Love

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Steve Harper

The tragic murders in Charleston re-surface the debate about gun control.  We are already hearing the predictable responses from people and groups positioned along the spectrum of opinion.  If the past holds true one more time, we will find ourselves … Continue reading →

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For the Bride: The Hypocrisy of Judgment

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Steve Harper

The early Christians linked judgmentalism and hypocrisy.  They did so because they observed that those who became judgmental became increasingly less self-aware.  They could fancy themselves as being righteous while pointing out another’s unrighteousness.  It is the attitude we have … Continue reading →

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In-Sight: The Basis for Ministry

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Steve Harper

Compassion means to feel “with” another person.  Compassion is the basis for ministry, for even if we cannot feel like another person or group, we can still feel with.  Compassion is not the child of sympathy, but rather the offspring … Continue reading →

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Editorial: All Must Mean All

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Steve Harper

On the heels of attending and following a number of Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church, and reading reports from the recent Reformation Project Training Conference in Atlanta, I am more convinced than ever that all must mean all. … Continue reading →

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Journey: Loving Neighbor

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Steve Harper

Read: Spirit of Love–Loving Neighbor McLaren has chosen the right passage to explore the love of neighbor.  The Gentiles epitomized “the other”–racially, religiously, every way.  Even though Peter had rightly interpreted the Day of Pentecost as the outpouring of the … Continue reading →

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Editorial: Mid-Course Testimony

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Steve Harper

It has been a year since I wrote ‘For the Sake of the Bride.’  When I wrote it, I was looking through a two-year window leading toward General Conference in May of 2016.  Now, I realize one year of that … Continue reading →

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For the Bride: Living in a Dungeon

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Steve Harper

Early Christians believed that being judgmental put them in the lowest level of spirituality, so they went to (what seems to us today) extraordinary means to avoid it. An old monk named Nau told his community what to do: “If … Continue reading →

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In-Sight: The Theater Is Not On Fire

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Steve Harper

In a time when the air is thick with the acrid smoke of divisiveness, proposed exit plans, and cries that “the United Methodist Church is burning down,” it is refreshing to breathe some fresh air provided by two books: one … Continue reading →

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Editorial: Ducks in a Row

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Steve Harper

As I prepare to attend the sessions of my Annual Conference, I continue to find it intriguing that conservatives persist in alleging they are not for schism.  A well-known UM leader blogged last week that he does not believe the … Continue reading →

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Editorial: Stay United!

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Steve Harper

As the Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church meet during these weeks, the challenges we face as a denomination become more apparent.  And the fact that we are not agreed as to how we should deal with them is … Continue reading →

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Journey: Loving God

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Steve Harper

Read: Spirit of Love: Loving God If we are moving with the Spirit, we are moving into love. McLaren takes to the right place–the two great commandments, beginning this week with the first one: loving God. If you follow Oboedire, … Continue reading →

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For the Bride: Don’t Feed the Animals

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Steve Harper

The title of today’s post is often found at zoos, public parks, and other places where animals are found.  The sign could have been placed in the hermit caves and monastic communities of early Christianity. These Christians believed that judgmentalism … Continue reading →

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In-Sight: A Reconciling Church

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Steve Harper

A reconciled church is given a ministry of reconciliation by God, so that it can be in sync with the Risen Christ, who seeks to reconcile all things to himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Colossians 1:20). Today we turn to the … Continue reading →

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Editorial: The Heart of “A Third Way”

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Steve Harper

In various attempts to end partisanship and polarization in the society and church, the phrase “finding a third way” is often used and proposed.  As a United Methodist Christian, I have seen the phrase used a lot for upwards of … Continue reading →

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Journey: Walk On!

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Steve Harper

Read: Moving With the Spirit McLaren leads us into another crucial area in this week’s readings: walking with the Spirit.  This is not only possible for those of us who can literally walk, but also for those who are unable … Continue reading →

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