Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) It is a commonplace observation of mainstream historical-critical New Testament scholars…
A case for why Mary didn’t know
I have appreciated the recent writing of Julia Goldie Day. She speaks wise words, especially for the voiceless, the oppressed, those marginalized by our society. I read with interest her recent post about the now-popular Christmas song “Mary, Did You…
Celebrating Christmas with extravagant joy
A few years back, Catherine bought me a T-shirt that says, “In a world of Grinches, be a Griswold!” I love Christmas. I am a Griswold. I go all out with decorations, both outside and inside. I just put up…
Your new favorite Christmas song: How to Make Gravy
The sad songs that are popular at Christmas are not sad enough. Sinatra’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas pretends to be sad, but Frank promises that “next year all our troubles will be miles away,” and Frank usually got what…
Of drag shows and the scandal of Christmas
I enjoy drag shows, and I love drag queens, because they are all oh so much fun. Oh, and also, because of Jesus. If Christmas means anything, it means God so loves the queer community that Jesus is born unto…
Mary, Our Mother (for Baptists): I don’t think that word means what you think it means
This is the third in a four-part series BNG will publish every Monday during Advent. I, like many of you, was in at least one Christmas pageant as a child growing up in the Baptist church. Sadly, I can distinctly…
Gifts of the season
Can you imagine this season without light? Light is the essence of Christmas, illuminating the birth of Christ and drawing us into its message of hope, love, peace and joy. It’s no surprise that light is in many holiday traditions:…
This Christmas season, let’s not kill Jesus before he’s even born
As Christmas nears, one of my favorite things to do is look at Christmas lights. Nothing feels more festive than driving around that one neighborhood in town with the large historic homes decorated immaculately with twinkling lights and Christmas cheer….
This is Halloween: Seven ways to do something good this Halloween
“This Is Halloween” is the opening song to Tim Burton’s 1993 stop-motion animated film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. The movie is set in Halloween Town, a city where the community focuses on Halloween, under the leadership of the Pumpkin King,…