Category: Faith

Originalism

Don Shrumm

In regards to The US Constitution an “Originalist” tries to apply the law as it was intended when it was written. This as opposed to catering to contemporary concerns and applications. This latter, more typically liberal view is sometimes referred to as the “Living Constitution” approach. There are entire philosophical schools of thought between these two extremes. How we read texts is a vast and fascinating study of Hermeneutics. As always there are shades in between the two sides to be drawn! Click here for a Wikipedia article of far…

Formats of the Gods

Don Shrumm

I’ve written a book. It’s a memoir of faith and music for an era of loss and exciting change. The most significant religion story of our time is way under-reported. Those no longer in the church know loss but have no help debriefing. Those within the church don’t want to talk about it at all. The massive exodus from organized religion has changed every congregation. It has sent many into oblivion and innumerable others into shocking decline and alien territory. Formats Of The Gods is an 95k word memoir of…

Hartley’s Band

Don Shrumm

Felt the thud. People started scrambling… Non-denominational churches were coming into their heyday when I graduated from seminary in 1987.  U.S. Mainline congregations accustomed to dominating American religion for 2 centuries were badly drifting. We just assumed we were too big to fail. Down south pastor friends were already accustomed to being surrounded and overwhelmed by Baptists, conservative theology and more regressive politics. Out West growth of the un-churched and “Post-Christian” sounded ominous. Up on the Atlantic coast where my career was launched tradition (including stately religion) holds more sway.…