Resurrection of the Lord (Year C, RCL)

Pastors face intense challenges—though not necessarily unique ones.

Holly Carey turns up the brightness on the most faithful disciples in the gospels: the women.

“Anyone who thinks he knows the orthodox consensus can always be shown to be wrong,” says David Bentley Hart.

In John’s Gospel we meet a body of flesh and blood. And microbes. 

The Bible offers conflicting answers.

Christ’s invitation to new life is almost always unfamiliar and surprising, even disconcerting.

In recent years, I’ve become somewhat of an Easter Grinch.

Given time, things can grow back.

If we take the doctrine seriously, then we dare not draw the circle of salvation along religious lines. Or any lines at all.

We live between variants; we also live between Advents.

Mary has no hand to clutch or shoulder to lean on.

It’s hard to believe in an enchanted world.

My daughter wants to know. Even as a biblical scholar, I don’t have a good answer.

The first Easter was a wrecked scene of dispirited disciples in the shadows of an insurrection.

Usually it takes courage to preach Good Friday. This year, it will take courage to proclaim “He is risen!” on Easter morning.

Living into the desired new creation is our work—and God’s promise.