Paying Taxes
by
The early church walked a fine line between its declaration of challenge to the Roman Empire — the fundamental creed “Jesus is Lord” defies the claim that “Caesar is Lord” — and the church’s wish to avoid active persecution. From Matthew’s perspective, paying the hated tax to the Jupiter temple was not a place to…(Read More)
Justice is at the heart of the vision of God’s reign. God is love. Justice is the social form of love…(Read More)
Beyond the cross of Jesus and the beheading of John there is the insistence that the deeper reality is the dazzling vision of transfiguration…(Read More)
… what we learn from our foray into the sewage is we can have a surprising diligence about dealing with other people’s money for our gain, we have an ability to avert our eyes from wrongdoing, and we can keep our mouths shut if we are getting a deal…(Read More)
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me…(Read More)
There are moments of intuition. Occasionally in an instant, things become clear. Sometimes we see profound, complex things that have perplexed us, and suddenly it all seems so simple. Insight happens…(Read More)
For Donne, true prayer is always answered because the Asker and the Giver are one and the same. In other words, God always answers prayer, because true prayer is the work of the Holy Spirit within us, having become our very own prayer, uttered in our own true voice…(Read More)
It can be a wonderful moment when we reclaim something from our ancient identity, like finding a valuable treasure that we didn’t know we already owned…(Read More)
I am a person of Babylon. I live in luxury and great comfort. I am drawn to the “dainties” that John so decries. I am wealthy and powerful, and I live in the wealthiest and most powerful nation in human history…(Read More)
The Book of Revelation as a treatise against greed and abuse of power reads like today’s headlines…(Read More)