Category Archives: Faith

A Common Confession

Yesterday I rambled on a bit about The Pilgrim’s Progress and starting from a common place (as seen in the story with the Wicket Gate).  How good it is, I think, for us to sing about that which is common … Continue reading

Posted in Faith, Internet, Music | Leave a comment

How the Way Becomes Common

There’s one particular idea from Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress that has stuck with me since I reread it last semester.  Early in the story, Christian is told to go to the wicket gate, that he will receive further instructions there.  … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith | Leave a comment

Forgetting, Losing, and Finding Ourselves

One last selection from Bonhoeffer’s Life Together concerning reading the Bible together: Consecutive reading of Biblical books forces everyone who wants to hear to put himself, or to allow himself to be found, where God has acted once and for … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commonplace Book, Faith | Leave a comment

The Story Under Your Skin

The author I read most this past year had to be James K. A. Smith.  His How (Not) to be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor is probably the best book about a book I’ve ever read.  After that, I moved on … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Internet, Teaching | Leave a comment

Cynicism and “Come and See”

If I gave an award for “Book Bought Most in 2014,” it would definitely be Steven Garber’s Visions of Vocation.  It dropped in late spring, and I was so moved by it that I had to pass it on to … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Internet, Teaching | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Too Profane a Purpose”

Again from Bonhoeffer’s Life Together: Do not object that the purpose of common devotions is profounder than to learn the contents of the Scriptures, that this is too profane a purpose, something which must be achieved apart from worship . … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commonplace Book, Faith | Tagged | Leave a comment

“More Than Light for Today”

From Bonhoeffer’s Life Together: Almost all of us have grown up with the idea that the Scripture reading is only a matter of hearing the Word of God for this particular day. That is why for many the Scripture reading … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commonplace Book, Faith | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Cappella in the High Countries

My Faith & Literature class is reading C. S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce as our final major work of the course.  It’s a brilliant book, one that I’ve bought multiple copies of.  Caedmon‘s Call recorded a Sandra McCracken-written song based … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Internet, Music, Teaching | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Giving Attention, Beyond Demanding Attention

From Simone Weil’s “Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies”: Happy then are those who pass their adolescence and youth in developing this power of attention. No doubt they are no nearer to goodness than their brothers working in … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commonplace Book, Faith, Teaching | Leave a comment

With Advent in Mind

From Bonhoeffer’s Ethics: In Jesus Christ we have faith in the incarnate, crucified, and risen God. In the incarnation we learn of the love of God for His creation; in the crucifixion we learn of the judgment of God upon … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commonplace Book, Faith | Leave a comment