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Author Archives: Steve Harper
At the Gate
Question: I am 66 years of age. I need to think more about living as an elder. What does this mean for you? Response: I must begin by saying that I don’t think there is a one-size-fits all pattern for … Continue reading
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In-Sight: January 2021
“A New Normal?” As I transition Oboedire into a responsive medium, I find it interesting that this final “In-Sight” post addresses a question. It is not a question directly from any of you to me, but rather one I have … Continue reading
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An Ending
Four years ago, I ended Oboedire. I had the sense that it had run its course. I honored that sense, even though I reactivated it ten months later as we moved into a time of national turmoil, bringing a more … Continue reading
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Day One: December 2020
This month’s “Day One” post comes after the “In-Sight” post because I wanted the December “In-Sight” to be about Advent. So, I posted it on November 28th. If you have not seen it, it’s the one immediately before this one … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Don’t Hold Back
I am posting this a week early to connect with the Advent Season… Whatever else Advent is, it is an annual season in the Christian Year that invites us to make a fresh start. All four readings contain the keynote … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Expansive Living
I never thought that a song I learned in Vacation Bible School nearly seventy years ago would be one that can take us where we need to go today, but it is. “Deep and Wide” is about as good as … Continue reading
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Day One: November 2020
Welcome to November! Our Golden Rain trees are aglow in our back yard with a deep amber that shouts, “Fall is here!” Photos from other parts of the country tell a similar story. I’m guessing you are on pins and … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: On the ITMS Group Page
The “Merton’s Prayers” series will now post only on the International Thomas Merton Society Group Page on Facebook. I really want you to find the reflections there, in the midst of a rich feast of other writings with respect to … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: January 16, 1941
More than a year has passed since Merton included a prayer in his journal. But I must emphasize that the intervening months contain ample evidence of his prayerful life, largely shaped by Roman Catholic liturgy and the liturgical calendar. Merton … Continue reading
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Along the Way: Originalism
Once again the concept of Originalism is being heard in the land. It is essentially a legal hermeneutic which says a contemporary law must express the intent of “the founding fathers” around the year 1789. The late Supreme Court justice … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: December 21, 1939
“Blessed Saint Thomas, who are blessed because, seeing the risen Christ and handling His wounds you believed in Him: pray to Him that I, seeing His body and the blood of His wounds each day may also believe Him, and … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: December 19, 1939
“Now we faithful glorify the Holy Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and we give this triune Lord all the taste of the salt all the love of the heart all the fervor of the soul for ever and … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers
October 22, 1939 “Pax Tecum Filumena” (“Peace be with you, Philomena) [1] Between his last recorded prayer and this one (two months) Merton accepted a call to the priesthood and consulted with friends about how best to fulfill the call. … Continue reading
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Along the Way: The Root Problem
I agree with those who point out that social media can be a place where rage overtakes reason, where emotions overrule education. And I confess my own failures along this line in some of the things I have posted. It … Continue reading
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Along the Way: Fluid Formation
Years ago, Richard Foster and I were visiting over a meal. It happened to be at a time when my daily devotions were tepid. I asked him about this, hoping he could share something that would “jump start” my prayer … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: August 24, 1939 #2
August 24, 1939 “Christ, have mercy on us. God save you, Mary, full of grace.” [1] Merton entered a second prayer into his journal the same day that he included the first one. It was a response he had to … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: August 24, 1939
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our … Continue reading
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Merton’s Prayers: Introduction
In my classes on Spiritual Formation, I had the opportunity to refer to a host of saints, canonized and otherwise. I made it a point to say that when studying persons, the best way to get to know them is … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Living on the Edge of the Inside
Some of you will immediately recognize the title of this post as one of Richard Rohr’s phrases to describe where he believes God calls us to live.[1] I have intentionally used his words, because I agree with him, and because … Continue reading
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Day One: October 2020
Thanks to those of you who have recently subscribed to Oboedire so you can automatically receive what I write. And thanks to those of you who have encouraged me to continue writing. I hope a new pace will provide me … Continue reading
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Along the Way: Dethroning Evil #3
This is the final post in this mini-series. I have made use of Ephesians 6:10-20 to commend Christian resistance to evil. In the first post, we looked at the motive for resistance. In the second one, we explored the mindset … Continue reading
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Along the Way: Dethroning Evil #2
In the first post on this subject a few days ago, I voiced my conviction that the November election is ultimately about dethroning evil.[1] It is not about Donald Trump losing and Joe Biden winning (though that is a necessary … Continue reading
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Along the Way: Dangerous Education
A lot of politics in general and some of the president’s words and deeds in particular are beyond my expertise, even though sometimes I can’t keep myself from commenting about them. But when Donald Trump wanders into certain territory, he … Continue reading
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Along The Way: Dethroning Evil #1
It’s time for me (you decide if it’s time for you) to push through the “fluff and stuff” and cut to the chase: the election on November 3rd is no longer about candidates or parties. It is about the dethronement … Continue reading
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Along the Way: The Formative Flow
I am grateful to Richard Foster for his development of a spiritual formation paradigm: vision, intention, means ]1] I use it often, and remind you about it occasionally. Today, I had another opportunity to think about it as I read … Continue reading
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Shepherd’s Care: Ordination
Yesterday, Deacons and Elders were ordained by Bishop Ken Carter in the Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. [1] This annual service is a highlight and a reminder that God calls every Christian to a discipleship ministry, and … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Mystic-Prophets
Last month I said we are living in a Micah moment, and using Micah 6:8, I explored the kind of life that God calls for in such a time. But embedded in all this is the question,“What kind of person … Continue reading
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Day One: September 2020
Beginning today, the differentiation between my Facebook page and Oboedire site is in effect. I am grateful to those of you who have subscribed to Oboedire, and I want to create this “Day One” (first day of the month) communication … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Living in a Micah Moment
The Book of Micah has become one of my go-to resources for getting perspective about the time in which we are living. Micah looked at Israel and Judah and said in effect, “We are in deep trouble.” It is easy … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Spiritual Life in a Pandemic
Honestly, this is a post I hoped I would not have to write. But we remain in the grip of a growing pandemic, one that now weaves together the threads of virus and violence—medicine and morality, disease and dis-ease. This … Continue reading
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The “New” Oboedire
I want to thank those of you who took the time to offer suggestions about what Oboedire might become. Whatever that means, I want it to be something you look forward to reading when a new installment hits your inbox. … Continue reading
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Past, Present, and Future
It is difficult for me to realize it has been ten years since I began Oboedire. A tenth anniversary is an especially good time to thank you for taking the time to read my posts. Some of you have done … Continue reading
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In-Sight: John Wesley and Emancipation
In solidarity with the message of emancipation which Juneteenth communicates, I offer this link to John Wesley’s championing of freedom for black people in his day…. Interestingly, in the midst of renewed racial turmoil in our country, Michael J. Gerson … Continue reading
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Love: Ilia Delio
I have chosen to include Ilia Delio in this series in order to point to those who are seeking to lead us into fresh discoveries of God, and are doing so using a theology of love. Sr. Ilia’s core conviction … Continue reading
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Love: Oscar Romero
I turn to Oscar Romero as another witness to love because the more I have read him, the more I see love at the center of his life and ministry. Indeed, one author described him as the voice of love … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Overwhelmed
One of the greatest dangers in life is to feel overwhelmed. Many of us have felt that way during the pandemic. But even before it, we found it easy to feel overwhelmed in a world of enormous challenges, and in … Continue reading
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Love: Martin Luther King, Jr.
Since it was published in 1963, Martin’s book ‘Strength to Love’ has been one of my constant companions. [1] I read it the first time as a teenager trying to understand the insanity of the sixties and seeking to discern … Continue reading
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Love: Dorothy Day
If life is love expressed, as we saw it last week in Gandhi, then we have no better example of it than in the life of Dorothy Day. Like Gandhi, her soul force was the force of love. Dorothy Day … Continue reading
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Love: Mahatma Gandhi
This week, we look outside Christianity to see the universality of love, using the witness of Gandhi as our illustration. He is also a good follow up to our look at Teilhard de Chardin last week, because Gandhi too saw … Continue reading
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Love: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Looking last week at E. Stanley Jones’ all-encompassing theology of love provides us the opportunity to see the same thing scientifically through the writing of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who saw love as the physical structure of the universe. Love … Continue reading
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Love: E. Stanley Jones
I have previously identified E. Stanley Jones as the overall most major influence in my theological and spiritual life. His influence only increased when, years ago, I discovered that he wrote an entire book on love, ‘Christian Maturity.’ [1] Like … Continue reading
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In-Sight: The Laughing Jesus
“You will laugh” (Luke 6:21) is the only time Jesus referred to laughter, but, but it is certainly not the only time he laughed. He went to many parties, and you don’t do that without laughing a lot. He told … Continue reading
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Love: Evelyn Underhill
For the sake of time, we move from the eighteenth century (last week in the post about the Wesleys) to the twentieth century, continuing our look at love through another Anglican, Evelyn Underhill. In her writing, we easily detect the … Continue reading
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Love: The Wesleys
When I write about the Wesleys, I do so from within the tradition which has most substantially shaped my Christian faith. Fortunately, the Wesleyan tradition is ecumenical, itself the child of other streams of Christianity, and one which invites us … Continue reading
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It’s 1984 Every Day Now
The dystopian world envisioned by George Orwell is coming to pass right before our eyes. The pandemic did not create this, it only exposes it. The origins are as old as Cain’s murder of Abel and his denial of responsibility … Continue reading
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Love: Thomas á Kempis
The ‘Imitation of Christ,’ published in 1441, is said by some to be the most read Christisn book other than the Bible. But whether or not that’s true, the assertion speaks to the incalculable influence of this devotional classic. Thomas … Continue reading
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In-Sight: Golden
I have postponed this month’s In-Sight post until today because it is Jeannie’s and my 50th Anniversary. Coming on a Friday, it’s the same day we were married five decades ago. Most of all, I begin this post by saying, … Continue reading
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Love: Julian of Norwich
During a time of severe illness, Julian (1342-1413) had a series of sixteen “showings” that all revealed to her some aspect of God’s love. These were great comforts to her, and when she wrote them down, ‘Revelations of Divine Love’ … Continue reading
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Love: Sts. Francis & Clare
When we come to Francis (1182-1226) and Clare (1193-1254), we see another mountain peak in a theology of love. Each of them sought to be instruments of God’s peace, sowing love in a multitude of ways throughout their lifetimes. Looking … Continue reading
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Love: Bernard of Clairvaux
When we come to Bernard (1091-1153), we arrive at the highest point so far in church history with respect to a Christian theology of love. He not only incorporated everything we have looked at previously, he also added new brush … Continue reading
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