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c. 2013 Religion News Service...

c. 2013 Religion News Service...

Sometimes it feels like a thick mist has descended on us, distorting communication. But then a face shines through the mist and dispels it.

I decided to write about the Joel reading in my Century column for this week, because I find his language and imagery—like that of many of the prophetic books—so rich and inspiring. But if I were preaching myself (not that I ever have to) I would probably choose to address the omissions from the Jeremiah and Timothy readings.

New today from the Century: Carol Zaleski on communicating through the fog, Jeffrey Johnson reviews R. S. Thomas, more.

Nearly every comic about Jesus attempts to clone him....

Welsh poet and priest R. S. Thomas had a creative energy that spanned the second half of the 20th century.

In case you haven't noticed, Duck Dynasty is ruling the world. And the popular reality show has a prayer in every episode.

Recently in my Sunday school class, we continued a discussion that started the previous time, sparked by Hebrews 12, which depicts God as one who disciplines—or more literally “whips” or “flogs”—his children for their benefit. There was general agreement that, while some ancient people may have viewed misfortunes that came their way as divine punishment, there are good scientific, moral and even biblical grounds for challenging that viewpoint.

New today from the Century: Lee Hull Moses on trying the Narrative Lectionary, Jason Byassee on the Duck at prayer, more.

Eugene Peterson notes that when we read scripture, "we find that we are not being led to see God in our stories but to see our stories in God's. God is the larger context and plot.” This fall, I'm using the the Narrative Lectionary, put together in 2010 by the good folks at Luther Seminary and Working Preacher.

c. 2013 Religion News Service...

"On my first visit to the United States, someone asked when I converted to Christianity. I told him 2,000 years ago."

The New York Times recently published an article about the revived process of accountability in the Mennonite church between our now-deceased, famed theologian John Howard Yoder and the victims of his sexual abuse. I’m not an expert on Yoder, and, like most people, I too am realizing that there is much I didn’t know about the extent of Yoder’s sexual coercion—both its content and its reach. But I have been surprised by the number of people who were unaware this was part of Yoder’s past.

It's easy for liberals to enthuse about "winning" the government shutdown. It's predictable for conservatives to act like the whole episode isn't a big deal. It's appropriate for all of us to celebrate the fact that furloughed federal workers will get back pay. But don't forget all the other workers affected by the shutdown.

New today from the Century: Amy Frykholm interviews Syrian Orthodox leader Cyril Karim, Melissa Florer-Bixler on Yoder and his victims, more.

The Century just published a longer piece of mine on lectionaries, which traces some of the Revised Common Lectionary's history but focuses mostly on recent alternatives to the RCL. The article draws from interviews with the people behind these lectionary projects, and I had hoped to also include feedback from pastors and other worship leaders who have actually tried them. But my draft crossed the 5,000-word mark before I even got to the latter, so I let it go. I will, however, post some such view-from-the-ministry-trenches items over the next week or so.

All Bonhoeffer scholarship recognizes his advocacy for nonviolence. Some goes farther, arguing that this was an overriding commitment that trumped all others.

c. 2013 Religion News Service...

An annotated list of lectionaries and lectionary supplements and proposals.