Tribe Or Community?

For the past twenty-five years, I have met early every Wednesday morning with a group of a dozen or so men. Over the years there has been some coming and going in our membership; but a few of us have been together the entire time. And, for the most part, attendance has been remarkably consistent.

Aggressive or Strong?

There is a difference between “Aggressive” and “Strong”. “Strong” never resorts to “Aggressive.”

Unity Or Diversity #3/3

Too many discussions in Christian tradition are framed in terms of either/or.

Unity Or Diversity #2/3

Perhaps I am a naive starry-eyed idealist. But it seems possible to me that, in our psychologically oriented age, we may be uniquely situated in all of history, to address the division between unity and diversity in a healthy life-giving way that finds a creative balance which both honours difference and embodies some degree of consistent identity.

Unity Or Diversity #1/3

Read it carefully then ask yourself: About whom might this quote be speaking? What is the most likely historical and cultural context? (answer at the bottom of tomorrow’s post)

What he was able most signally to exploit was the belief that pluralism was somehow unnatural or unhealthy in a society, that it was a sign of weakness, and that internal division and disharmony could be suppressed and eliminated, to be replaced by unity…

“If your hand causes you to stumble”

Last weekend, along with many other Anglicans from the Diocese of BC, I was away at Synod, practicing being part of the wider Christian community embodied in the concept of Diocese.

Why We Divide And Why We Might Seek Not To #1

NB: lest the issues addressed in this post, the next one, and the four preceding ones seem outdated or irrelevant to the current life of the church, please preface your reading of what follows by visiting: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/retired-bishop-caledonia-leaves-anglican-church-canada-breakaway-group/

Dangerous Religion

“Clean blood!”

Four More Strategies For Staying Together

The strategies for staying together that I believe have helped the people in the church I serve to continue together in ministry with the same person in leadership for so long, are not so much “strategies” as they are attitudes.

3rd Strategy For Staying Together

All of the strategies for staying together in ministry are pretty simple; none of them is easy.