By David Gushee Reading Advent scriptures this year, I am struck more powerfully than ever at the unfulfilled or only very partially fulfilled nature of the expectations, promises and statements made about the Child soon to be born: Luke 1:17:…
Lessons we can learn from Joseph
By Carl Hoover He stands near the center of countless creches, watching the Baby Jesus over Mary’s shoulder, with the stable behind him and flanked by shepherds, animals and wise men. Other players in the Christmas story told in miniature…
Take a digital fast this Advent
By Alan Rudnick Driving to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with my family I wasn’t thinking about turkey, cranberry sauce or who would get to try their luck at the wishbone. I thought about only one thing: Twitter. This year I…
How would Tim Tebow defend Christmas?
By Jim Denison Gov. Lincoln Chafee recently made national headlines by calling the Rhode Island State House’s 17-foot spruce a “holiday” tree. When critics complained, he urged them to volunteer to help needy people instead. In response, the Providence Catholic…
Attentiveness at Advent
By Daniel Vestal “Where have we discerned God at work in our midst?” The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship considers this question at the end of each monthly staff meeting. This time of reflection and sharing is usually the highlight of the…
Enrich your life by living gratefully
By Rabbi Rami Shapiro What are you grateful for? Try not to cough up the usual suspects: sunsets, daisies, puppies, babies and babies playing with puppies among the daisies at sunset. True, I’m grateful that the earth orbits the sun,…
Advent a progressive journey toward Christmas
By Barry Howard When observed faithfully and progressively, Advent can prepare us for a Christmas celebration filled with mystical wonder and deep meaning, a spiritual communion that far exceeds the buzz of shallow commercialism. In the rural church of my…
This Advent season, just you wait
By Marv Knox We need Advent particularly badly this year, and not simply because it’s a prelude to Christmas. Advent marks the beginning of the church year and starts four Sundays before Christmas. Advent takes its name from the Latin…
Do dogs go to heaven?
While we were away for Thanksgiving with our two daughters who live in New York, our middle daughter, Erin, called with the drastic news that her 13-and-a-half-year-old white lab named Hannah Marie Furr-Yeager (her husband just called her “Good Girl”)…