Useful Revulsion
Flannery O’Connor’s short stories are not for the faint of heart. I’ve only read two or three of them. They were short, but jam-packed with lots to think about. Months later, I’m still digesting. She...
View ArticleBullying God
Over at Cogito Credo, a website I believe has content worth reading (and not just because I edit for them from time to time), C.E. Moore wrote a piece that is likely to cause some controversy, from the...
View ArticleOn Cultural “Sin,” Indiana Jones, and Shared Narratives
When it comes to functioning in any society, there are certain texts and narratives that are shared by a large portion of that community; if you are ‘outside of the loop,’ so to speak, you may miss...
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The Grandeur of Sin: A Contemplation
“Sometimes, the grandeur with which we regard our sin is really pride,” my priest said. The statement struck me as very different from the way I’m accustomed to thinking about sin, and I’ve been...
View ArticleWhen Gandalf Goes Down with the Balrog: Or, When My Pastor Falls into Sin
Let’s just call him Pastor Bob. In church, he was Gandalf. Gandalf could do anything! Church cannot go on without him! What do you do when the Sin Balrog takes down Pastor Bob? Whether it was...
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Forgiveness and the Cross
In life, we will all do things that we will come to regret. Every one of us will violate the moral code. Even the man who does not believe in an objective moral code will find his actions inconsistent...
View ArticleForce Yourself: Why Spirituality Sometimes Sucks
When I was younger, I used to wonder why all of the best-tasting foods are usually the worst for you. Why can’t ice cream and chocolate and burgers be good for me? Or at the very least, why can’t I...
View ArticleLearning to Not Be Judas
There are certain people in the Gospel that Scripture calls us to identify with; more often than not, the people that Christ exalts, forgives, and heals—both physically and spiritually—are not model...
View ArticleFrom Death to Life, Not Rot to Sanitation: Part 2
Three weeks ago I wrote about Christians having to live with TV and pop culture that is frankly yucky. I said that even though pop culture is often disgusting and rotten, Christians who are moving from...
View ArticlePut Your Face in the Dirt and Start Struggling
Any Christian who can’t think of a fistful of sins he or she is struggling against is probably not in a good place. In the war against hell in our hearts, there exists a continuum of three...
View ArticleEveryday Holiness
Sanctification is not always an earth-shattering affair. More often, I think, sanctification and spiritual growth come through the (perhaps seemingly menial) tasks, actions, decisions, thoughts, and...
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