Category Archives: Faith

The Perilous State of Religious Liberty

Posted on July 9, 2016 by salooper57

Religious liberty in the United States is in peril. Many of the people empowered to decide which behaviors merit civil protections and which do not are not religious people. They fail to understand religious liberty because they do not understand … Continue reading →

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How Should We Think About Immigrants?

Posted on June 25, 2016 by salooper57

We have heard more talk about immigrants and immigration policy this election season than any in memory, and the conversation has been highly charged. Since the issue is so prominent just now, it might be helpful to have a sketch … Continue reading →

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It’s Not Magic, You Know – Never Believe It Is So

Posted on June 4, 2016 by salooper57

It is common among academics, particularly those whose discipline is anthropology, to think of religion and magic as closely related expressions of the human desire to control one’s environment. Indeed, not just closely related but inextricably bound. There is certainly … Continue reading →

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Discrimination in America: Who’s Next?

Posted on May 21, 2016 by salooper57

In the past, to be called “discriminating” was high praise. We rarely hear the adjective used that way (or used at all) anymore, but the noun and verb are everywhere. News stories about discrimination are an almost daily occurrence. It … Continue reading →

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God Wants Our Nine-to-Five

Posted on May 14, 2016 by salooper57

According to a popular (and probably apocryphal) story, a man once came to Martin Luther and asked the great reformer what he could do to serve God. Luther asked him what he was currently doing for work, and he replied … Continue reading →

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Risk Assessment and Management for Children

Posted on May 10, 2016 by salooper57

Risk assessment is the science of determining two things: the likelihood of a given occurrence and the degree of potential loss. Let’s say I want to do a risk assessment of the likelihood that my pregnant daughter-in-law will be bitten … Continue reading →

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The Importance of Staying Limber

Posted on April 30, 2016 by salooper57

In Christian circles there is a high degree of suspicion towards people whose beliefs are constantly changing. We applaud Luther for his “Here I stand; I can do no other” attitude but we deplore Bunyan’s Mr. Pliable. Luther stands strong … Continue reading →

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Mary Magdalene’s and John bar Zebedee’s Easter Stories

Posted on April 26, 2016 by salooper57

The following is a piece I wrote for Lockwood Community Church’s 2016 Easter Sunrise Service. The actors, Sarah Asher and Glenn Snapp, made the script better than it is, but I share it with you anyways in the hope you’ll … Continue reading →

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The Power We So Blithely Invoke

Posted on April 23, 2016 by salooper57

Sometimes God scares me. Not like an angry parent scares a cowering child. It’s not like that at all. Still less like a bully scares a retiring classmate. “Scares” is probably not even the right word. “Awes” would be better, … Continue reading →

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The Story of God (Biblical Version)

Posted on April 9, 2016 by salooper57

National Geographic is currently showing a five-part television miniseries titled, “The Story of God.” That a geographical society (rather than a theological one) is telling the story leads me to expect that it will not be about God as much … Continue reading →

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