the conclusion: it’s not about different theology and Biblical Interpretation after all…
Tag: social justice
Israel Living By the Sword
So, that didn’t take very long did it? Within days, even hours of accomplishing some sort of peace with the Palestinians and Hamas the government of Israel declared another illegal land grab of territory that doesn’t belong to them;the largest such criminal (and recurring) action in 3 decades. The timing was telling and obvious; a chest thumpingly aggressive taunt.
Jonah Is (Is) Swallowed Up One Last Time
Religion is remembering; calling back something we didn’t know we knew that grounds us and lends continuity and meaning to our days. (re-“again” legere – “to read”) Violence is forgetting, denying, making discontinuous, or annihilating the past and stripping away identity and the security of the present. By stealing backstory we take away identity and belonging as well as livelihood and safety. What is left is the frighteningly transient quality of the Now,
Freedom
Freedom to do just anything at all is not our goal. Freedom to act more humanly, more humanely, to act better, is. Freedom is only freedom when it doesn’t create more captivity somewhere else (like in another’s life). Freedom to do anything is mere anarchy, which takes too lightly our ties to one another and the allegiance we pledge to something larger than ourselves.
Can We Be “Chosen” without Being Jerks?
Benjamin Netanyahu is angry with you. The Israeli Prime Minister considers the vote last week at the PCUSA’s General Assembly “disgraceful.” (this was a vote to stop investing in companies making money off Israel’s continued settling in territories reserved for Palestinians.) He said anybody with morals should recognize it as such and at the very least shouldn’t call themselves “Christian.”
Open and Affirming
God is at work calling many who are gay or lesbian into the ordained ministry. For Presbyterians (PCUSA) that means called to be Deacons, Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders (minister of the Word and Sacrament). We also want to call them for our next potluck, mission trip, committee meeting and book group! Our denomination recognizes the ordination of gays and lesbians and Genesis also rejoices in the diversity of God’s children. Everyone is welcome (at every level) at Genesis.
In Praise of the 51%
It is odd that we would even need to mention this in the 21st century. But a significant majority of Christendom doesn’t recognize the legitimacy of Women as equal partners in Leadership and Ministry.* We think this is truly a shame. First, we wonder: how on earth do they get anything done?!