Commentary: Homelessness

Living in Santa Barbara, CA puts me in constant contact with the homeless population. Despite the affluence and picturesque views, poverty is alive and devastating. The presence of those without homes is everywhere. Even though there are routine attempts to “remove” them, the homeless are simply displaced because – like every human – they need a … Continue reading →

Art for Tha Soul: How to Love

Love and sexuality are deeply connected. Our modern culture has an awkward dance sometimes lacing the two together and other times relegating sexuality (and the acts of eroticism) to bodily, almost animatistic, functions. We struggle to, in action, interweave sexuality in our desire for deep, abiding,long-lasting intimacy. Sometimes this is done explicitly and sometimes it is done with a … Continue reading →

SELAH

My friend Ruth and I have been leading an experiential worship service at our church Free Methodist of Santa Barbara. The premise of the service is to create space to explore the spiritual disciplines (via Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline). We are actually at the end of our journey this year, but have started thinking … Continue reading →

Commentary: Talking about Cultural Diversity in Your Church

I just finished Michael V. Angrosino’s book Talking About Cultural Diversity in Your Church. Angrosino is a Anthropologist at the University of South Florida  and writes primarily about the South, Mental Retardation , and more recently Religion.  Since Angrosino is not a theologian or religious scholar, his perspective of faith and the church comes from a cultural, … Continue reading →

Commentary: Christian College Diversity

I recently posted an interview with George Yancey concerning ethnic-diversity at Protestant colleges and universities. The first section is below: George Yancey has been an important voice on diversity within American Christianity. In addition to authoring several books, the University of North Texas sociologist is cofounder of the Mosaix Network, a relational association that promotes … Continue reading →

Commentary: Tony Jones being “Borderline Racist”

A couple weeks ago I went to a very interesting session at Fuller Seminary on “Emerging Spiritualities in the American Church.” The key speakers were Tony Jones, Lauren Winner, and Phyllis Tickle. During the session there was some commentary about Tony’s perspective of the growth of Pentecostalism in the Global South. By his own admission, Tony, is pretty … Continue reading →

Art for the Soul: All Black Everything

Interesting and insightful song by Lupe Fiasco about the impact of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and a (very) creative) re-imagination of what life would have been like without American slavery embedded in the story of humanity. He speaks in extremes, but the point it delve into this dark spot (of many) in human history, get … Continue reading →

Do I still blog?

Yes, I am still blogging. This spring has been one of roller coaster proportion. Let me just list a couple – as an understatement – things that have been going on. 1 – I have started to contribute to Recovering Evangelical . 2 – I have become a member at my local church (as well as a … Continue reading →

Commentary: Book Review – A Place for Truth

I have to admit. I have not read all of A Place for Truth. It is a thick book, both in size and substance. But what I have read has been significantly rewarding. The book – edited by Dallas Willard – is a collection of writings and speeches from the Veritas Forum. For those unfamiliar … Continue reading →