Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year B, RCL)

We have become a society of people who cannot prevent our own children from being killed in their classrooms—and who do not much mind the killing of other people’s children by weapons of war.

According to 1 John, we have received more than mere mortal attestation.

In meditating on the words of scripture, I discover a Word who meditates on me.

In the Mennonite tradition, we are all priests. But I still have a particular role to play.

If so, what did he mean?

Trees symbolize a holy channel that faithfully stewards the power of God into the world.

It’s an interesting contrast with the ways leadership and oversight have been handled since.

Jesus’ high priestly prayer is a call to a new kind of knowing and loving.

In Acts, the gospel takes on organizational structure.

Christian theology is a love story.

John 17:1–11

While the apostles welcome Matthias into his new role, I want to sit with Barsabbas, the one who was rejected.

The Bible's images for God must be taken in an analogical sense. Yet the Bible exhibits no anxiety about using them.

Jesus' prayer is meant to be overheard.

I was drying dishes and absentmindedly singing the song that had been stuck in my head for days when my husband suddenly came barreling down the staircase and into the kitchen. Looking frantic, he asked me what had happened. We were both confused; he was convinced that I had cried out in pain, and he fully expected to walk in on a grisly cooking incident.

We quickly realized the source of the miscommunication. The song I’d been singing was Lady Gaga’s “Judas,” and I sounded like a lady in distress as I belted out, “Judas, Juda-a-a.”

Casting lots to determine how to fill an apostolic vacancy? Really?