Geoffrey Holsclaw
For all those visual learners who need to see it to understand it. This is the “Other Bridge Illustration.” And yes, I drew these while at Starbucks. (David Fitch and I did an entire podcast on this topic if you are interested.) The Original Bridge Illustration But first we must talk about the Original Bridge […]
CEOs withdraw from Trump’s advisory councils because of the Presidents bankrupt statements about Charlottesville—maybe because of their moral backbone, but probably because of the financial bottomline. But so far no evangelical advisors have stepped down. It makes people ask, “Are evangelicals really are just White?” For some this is self-evident. Others vigorously deny it. And […]
I was about halfway through another post talking about theology and the Trinity and why claims for the “eternal subordination of Son” makes for bad theology. And then I saw the new about #AltonSterling, another black man shot by white police. And so I wrote this instead, because I couldn’t finish the other post…(it is […]
The Journey of Redemption I’ve found in my journey of redemption that I don’t necessary sin egregiously in every category. Rather I’ve found I often keep struggling with the same two or three sins that seem to go all the way down to my core. Every time I think I’m done with that sin God will gently […]
For the poor you will always have with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish: but you will not always have me. (Mark 14:7) From crude realism to hopeless resignation, this quote from Jesus is confusing at best and disheartening at worst. What? So poverty and inequality are just a fact […]
I am worried about the rising popularity of Bonhoeffer in the United States. Very worried. I’m worried not because of his theology, or his political views, or his activism. I’m worried because so many people are interested in him…so many different people. Some people laud him for his non-violent pacifism, and other for his violent […]
Tim Challies ended a recent post criticizing the practice of Lectio Divina by saying, “This, then, is a danger in Lectio Divina, that it may teach us to approach the text subjectively rather than objectively.” But what is the big deal about reading the text subjectively as opposed to objectively? 3 Subjects of Scripture It is […]
In the older evangelical (and fundamentalist influenced) mindset there was often a split between “culture” and “society” (albeit, not a conscious one). Culture was usually viewed with suspicion leading to separation or withdrawal. But society was viewed neutrally leading to capitulation. Let me explain. Culture Culture is often viewed by older Evangelicals as the field […]
Last month, at the Ecclesia National Gathering, I had the privilege and honor to preside over communion for the whole group. I led through the time as we usually do here at Life on the Vine, but many people not from a more liturgical background asked about the prayer leading into the Table. Many commented […]
Headline news is usually bad news. Viral blog posts are usually polemical. And those “way-too-long” conversations on Facebook and Twitter are often based in controversy. Pain, division, and anger drive on-line traffic and often directs the content. And church news is little different: pastor so-and-so is embroiled in a moral failing; church such-and-such fired its […]