Almost three decades ago, a coworker of mine — now a close friend — used to amuse me when she referred to The Ten Commandments as the “Top Ten.” Even before that in college and seminary, where I was taught…
The ‘god’ many American Christians worship
Driving along Highway 27 in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., in mid-September 2021, motorists were surprised to see a billboard bearing a phrase from the Bible they had often heard during the Christmas season in their churches: “Unto us a son is…
Idolatry is alive and well today
For much of the Hebrew Scriptures (what many Christians call the Old Testament) idolatry was the bane of Israel’s existence with God. As a product of the church, I always wondered how a people who experienced the power of God…
Worshiping guns, weaponizing God
I love my guns. To me, they’re beautiful tools. No different than the ancient hand drill passed down from my father, or the simple, bone-handled pocketknife I carry. I marvel at the craftsmanship of these utilitarian devices, the grain of…
Surviving this election season and repenting of idolatry
This election season has been a hard spiritual journey, as well as a grimy political slog. Rancor ran rampant, spilling out of campaign rallies and whistlestops, bounding onto our screens. Candidates mongered fear, amplified animosity and spewed indignation. Now, we…
Jesus, not the Bible, is ‘the Word of God’
Like many Christians, I strive to read the Bible every day. However, I admit frequent failures and that I’m not as diligent as in times past. I remember the first time I set out to read the entire book from…
Confessions of an unpatriotic Christian
As a dog owner, I’m ambivalent at best about fireworks, but I absolutely love a cookout. In fact, I consider myself a connoisseur of all things hotdog, hamburger or potato salad-related and, as a child, I developed abnormally large forearms…
Is your kind of Christianity divine or human?
The American church today needs to distinguish between what is from God and what is human and historically conditioned. We could do this by observing how people do the will of God. Matthew 7:20-21 offers a simple biblical solution —…
Idolatrous listening: A time-saving habit
I want you to pull my britches down …. Say again? And on cue, as if the song could read my thoughts. I heard the same line for a second time. Nightmare scenarios started running through my head involving my…