Monthly Archives: July 2022

Christ: Christ is All and in All #5

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Steve Harper

“Christ is Reality” Taking Paul’s two-part sentence as-a-whole, we see that he was saying, “Christ is reality.” E. Stanley Jones said the same, “To be in him is to be in ultimate reality. To be in him is to have … Continue reading →

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Engage: What Do We Do With Evil? #9

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Steve Harper

Read: “How to Survive and Even Thrive” The idea of overcoming evil with good can sometimes seem impossible, given the systemic and pervasive nature of evil. Paul questioned the possibility in Romans 7:14, 23. Rohr connects our questions with Paul’s … Continue reading →

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Wesley’s Way: The Grand Reunion

Posted on July 23, 2022 by Steve Harper

Among the missional senses that the Wesleys had for the Methodist movement was this: the conjoining of knowledge and vital piety, which John said had been too long divided. He incarnated that grand reunion through his integration of theology and … Continue reading →

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Along the Way: When Deception Becomes Reality

Posted on July 22, 2022 by Steve Harper

My psalm reading this morning took me to these words of David describing someone living under the influence of evil, “Your tongue devises destruction: it’s like a sharpened razor, causing deception.You love evil more than good; you love lying more … Continue reading →

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Christ: Christ is in All #4

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Steve Harper

“Our Provider” Paul’s words are not only revelations of Christ’s person, but also of Christ’s provision. Christ’s “allness” offers us the opportunity to live abundantly (John 10:10). Just a few verses before this one, Paul summed it up: Christ is … Continue reading →

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Along the Way: A Hard Look on the Inside

Posted on July 19, 2022 by Steve Harper

My last “Along the Way” post dealt with the evil of fundamentalism/nationalism, looking at Jesus’ call to have eyes that see as a way of naming it, resisting it, and overcoming it with good. The problem is, when the eyes … Continue reading →

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Engage: What Do We Do With Evil? #8

Posted on July 18, 2022 by Steve Harper

Thanks to those of you who joined our Zoom meeting last Friday. The group was a bit larger this time around and included some new people. We will meet again on Friday, August 5th. I will include the link in … Continue reading →

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Along the Way: We See You!

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Steve Harper

The caricature and denigration of “social justice” by Christian fundamentalist/nationalists is not only an abberation of the Gospel, it is a revelation of how wedded the Christian right is to the “dirty rotten system” (Dorothy Day). [1] Fundamentalists/nationalists reap enormous … Continue reading →

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Engage: Zoom Tomorrow

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Steve Harper

Just a reminder that our second Zoom meeting to discuss Richard Rohr’s book is tomorrow (Friday) at Noon, Eastern Time USA. I hope you can join in. Here is the link… Please click this URL to start or join. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9314085719?pwd=ZXhGc1dtMXlWRkFHUnZZem1SZDRQQT09    Or, … Continue reading →

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Engage: What Do We Do with Evil? #7

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Steve Harper

Read: “The Spiral of Violence” This chapter shows the inadequacy of retributive justice. Punishment does not overcome evil because it only addresses the effects of it, not the causes of it. Punitiveness is not transformative. It leaves “the filthy rotten … Continue reading →

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Christ: Christ is in All #3

Posted on July 6, 2022 by Steve Harper

“In Every Moment” When we affirm that Christ is in all, we easily connect the statement to people, places and things. The previous meditations have done this by noting Christ is in everyone and everything. But there is more. Christ … Continue reading →

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Engage: What Do We Do with Evil? #6

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Steve Harper

Read: “A Way Out and Through” Having laid a good foundation for understanding the nature and expression of evil, Rohr begins to lead us out of it, offering a way through it that he further develops in the rest of … Continue reading →

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Along the Way: The Hard Work of Hope”

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Steve Harper

Earlier today I read an article by Dr. Walter Brueggemann in which he used the phrase “the hard work of hope.” [1] The phrase stuck to the velcro on my soul, putting words to a sentiment I have had for … Continue reading →

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