Shortly after I retired from parish ministry over a quarter century ago, I had a phone call asking me to serve a few Sundays as supply minister at a couple of Presbyterian churches in the area, and I did that, enjoyable and different experiences. At one of them I was greatly surprised to see an old schoolmate, though not classmate, from Cove School years - - surprised for reasons that go way back and don't need retelling here - - who told me he was an active member there because it meant so much to his wife, though, he told me, "Carroll, I don't believe all the stuff."  My thought, which I probably should have expressed but did not, was that "It isn't necessary to believe all the stuff" - - because we are a religion of stories, stories and songs actually, that identify us as Christians and bind us together in agape, a kind of New Testament love that is not a feeling but how we treat each other and other people.  Furthermore, that a sense of needing to be...

Most do not, but today's article in The Atlantic A.M. rattles my cage, pulls my chain, the idea of religious institutions, denominational churches, operating in the public school system, even as charter schools, not simply as contractors qualified to administer schools but operating specifically as religious schools teaching students denominational religious doctrine. Why is it a bad idea? Because it's a foot in the door of established state religion, officially enforced religion of government choosing.  Yet, the courts have already said that a state voucher system must be available not only for public schools but for private schools including religious schools; and I fully expect the Roman Catholic justices on the US Supreme Court to approve this next step Oklahoma move to establish publicly funded Catholic charter schools.  As to separation of church and state, a distinction has been made between American system and French system; the American system meant to keep government...

  The book of the Acts of the Apostles is a joint composition with the Gospel according to Luke, which some reasonable scholarship* dates after Mark and Matthew, as early as 80 AD and as late as 130 AD; with not later than 90 AD said by many scholars if the "we" in Acts is accepted as the author's personal involvement with Paul. Why is the dating significant? For one, because it's part of Luke-Acts credibility as eyewitness to Paul and therefore even possible with Peter and James in Jerusalem.  Which, while explaining Acts, might not explain the author's extensive use of Mark and Q in his gospel instead of more of his own experience. Nevermind, belay all that, eh? What interested me in the Acts reading is the theological implications of Acts' author having Peter tell the temple authorities that though they killed Jesus, "God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior," which is relatable to Paul's use of the Christ Hymn in Philippians 2 a...

Easter Monday, why didn't I post a blog yesterday? For one, enough was said, preached, proclaimed, written and posted that I would have been superfluous. In fact, an Episcopal priest I knew years ago once stepped up into his pulpit on the morning of Easter Day, announced, "Christ is risen, what more can I say?" and stepped down to continue the eucharistic celebration.  It was either brilliant or lazy, take your pick. I have wondered what he did for toppers the following Easter.  +++++++ Pope Francis died this morning, Easter Monday, pulling the Roman Catholic Church into centuries-old traditions of funeral and conclave of cardinals gathering in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. I view Pope Francis as having been a good man, humble and nonjudgmental; others may see him differently.  As long as there are humans around, we will see hatred, division, biting, throwing sand, and political maneuvering in any group from kindergarten classroom to middle school playground to ...

       I  Voted  reads the little oval sticker on the case of my cellphone. Municipal election: we went to city hall and voted last Monday morning, first day the polls opened for early voting, so, over and done. That I voted entitles me to complain, though I don't much, having in mind that whoever is in whatever office is the elected choice of the people and I was not, and that they are likely doing a more competent job than I could do in any event.  Send in the Clowns, nomesane?, and thank you, Judy Collins. Where would I turn America back to? Maybe the 1970s, eh? We had a 1973 Olds Custom Cruiser just like that. There were two Oldsmobile dealers in Columbus, Ohio, and in late 1972 I ordered it from Key Olds because they discounted 20% from the MSRP for a car manufactured to my specs. What did I sell or trade? The 1959 VW bug that I bought in 1967 after we'd returned from Japan - - bought from H B Lantzsch VW in Fairfax, Virginia - - they were adverti...