By Alan Rudnick As most everyone has heard, Robin Williams died on Tuesday from an apparent suicide. The reaction on Facebook and Twitter was one of shock. How could someone who brought so much joy and humor to the world…
The case for the 45 credit seminary degree
The Atlantic ran a disturbing article on the state of middle class clergy carrying a seminary degree: high debt, low wages, vanishing churches, and part-time pastor positions. The piece profiles Justin Barringer, a recent seminary grad who like many before him…
Two Pastors, An Angry Man, And a Funeral
As a pastor, I have usually have positive experiences with funeral homes and funeral director. One of the first funerals I ever did, as an ordained pastor, was memorable. A well known hometown gentleman died young, and his family contacted me and a…
Age segregation in worship
In the last 30 years, age-segmented worship was an unforeseen effect of the contemporary worship movement within Christianity. What has developed in many (not all) churches are two worship services. A traditional service with older adults and a commentary service…
How to throw away a Bible
By Alan Rudnick After some saints of my church decided to clear out our Sunday school storage area (who wants to do that job?), an unusual question was posed: “What do we do with damaged Bibles?” I was not quite…
How to throw away a Bible
After some saints of my church decided to clear out our Sunday School storage area (who wants to do that job?), an unusual question was posed: “What do we do with damaged Bibles?” I was not quite sure how to…
Beware of the backfire effect
“Daddy long-leg spiders are one of the most poisonous spiders but their fangs are too short to bite humans.” “All vaccines are deadly to all children.” You may heard those statements, but those statements are not true. Despite facts that disprove popular myths, some folks…
How to handle those pesky blog ‘trolls’
After blogging for over 5 years, I’ve been on the receiving end of some pretty harsh comments. I’ve found there are two types of negative blog commentator: productive criticism and blog trolls. Blog trolls, like their mythical archetypes, lurk in…
Waterboarding is not funny, Sarah Palin
Former vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, gave a one-liner to an audience at the National Rifle Association that likened baptism to waterboarding torture. Palin said in her speech: They obviously have information on plots to carry out Jihad… Oh, but you can’t offend…