Today’s mainline denominations are doing plenty of fighting. Some of the disagreements break into the news and public consciousness, while others only affect the faithful. All of this fighting is deeply unsettling, but it also reflects what one observer calls…
Condolences should not come with a ‘but’ attached
A dear friend died who worked tirelessly for social justice during his life. Being a passionate person who relentlessly pursued what he thought was right, he caused more than 1 controversy in his life. He also helped people all around…
The painful inevitability of moral conflict
The painful inevitability of moral conflict
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee Many factors lead me to reflect these days on the painful inevitability of moral conflict — and what, if anything, we can do about it, especially in Christian life. By “moral conflict” I mean sharp…
We shout ‘Peace, Peace,’ when there is no peace
For those of us who follow the liturgical calendar in our churches, the season of Advent is the time where we focus on the virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love – perhaps lighting a candle on an advent wreath…
Church conflict requires pastoral courage, patience
By George Henson The key to creating or maintaining congregational harmony isn’t for pastors to avoid conflict, but rather to face them squarely, an expert on church conflict told ministry leaders recently. And that’s because conflict is inevitable anywhere human…
Monks and mediation: what some Benedictines taught me about conflict
Seventy-five miles north of Santa Fe there’s a high desert canyon so ancient, so primordial, I half-expected to see pterodactyls in the sky instead of hawks as I steered my rental car along thirteen miles of single-lane dirt road. The…
Monks and mediation
By Julie Pennington-Russell Seventy-five miles north of Santa Fe there’s a high desert canyon so ancient, so primordial, I half-expected to see pterodactyls in the sky instead of hawks as I steered my rental car along 13 miles of single-lane…
Smart churches call 911 sooner rather than later
On a pleasant morning a few years ago at a church preschool, a 3-year-old boy fell backwards off a piece of playground equipment and hit his head. It was no one’s fault. It just happened. His symptoms indicated the need…