Blog Entries

A Non-Geographical Presbytery???

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Beaver-Butler is sending an overture to GA to allow "theological, non-geographic" Presbyteries, in order to promote a greater flexibility in government and to stem the tide of congregations leaving the denomination.

In January of this year, the Presbytery of the Pacific defeated a similar motion.

I've thought long and hard about this, and I said to the proponents, "I'd be willing to vote favorably on this if you were willing to send an overture to GA for the removal [...]

Divorce or Reconciliation?

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I've written previously about the coming time when the respective theological camps of our church will sign the papers, break up the house, and form their own new homes.

It may yet come to that.

And it may be the only way to prevent further harm.

But everyone must realize that "gracious separation," no matter how gracious it be, is still a separation, and, thus, a failure of love. We cannot love one another, and why it should be so is profoundly complex, I'm sure. [...]

God's Small Promises

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Been thinking a lot about Genesis 15, since I preached from it Feb. 28.

Been thinking about the small promises of God - God promises Abram a bleak 400 years of slavery for his descendants, and though God will rescue them at the right time and bring them to the land, there's no promise here of bliss, but only of life.

Abram, at least, is promised a long life and a peaceable death.

God's promises are small, but real ... more real than all the bloated, artificial, self-seeking, [...]

A THEO-logical Manifesto

webmaster@pres-outlook.org — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:17:30 +0100

A few days ago I read a brief denominational paper which, like many others before it, addresses the issues of pastoral leadership and the church’s future. The beginning point of the paper, again like so many others, focuses our attention on various changes in contemporary culture asking questions about how we can be more relevant to people in this time while remaining faithful to our ecclesiastical traditions.

After reading this paper – written by dedicated people who care very mu [...]

Where are our Reinhold Niebuhrs today?

webmaster@pres-outlook.org — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:16:09 +0100

“I’m amazed,” wrote David Brooks a few years ago, “that Reinhold Niebuhr hasn’t made a comeback since September 11. After all, he was one of America’s most profound writers on war and international conflict.” Recently, of course, Reinhold Niebuhr’s name did re-enter public conversation in a very big way because President Obama described Niebuhr as his “favorite theologian.” When presidents drop your name, your name gets noticed. But Niebuhr has been a favorite theologian fo [...]

Sports and faith

webmaster@pres-outlook.org — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:12:44 +0100

One of the weekly features that I like best in Sports Illustrated is a small vignette called “Sign of the Apocalypse.” These are brief looks at things that are so weird, off the wall, just plain nuts, and a sure sign that things just can’t go on if this kind of craziness keeps up for much longer….

I got to thinking, we could turn some these crazy things around to point at signs of the Second Coming of Christ. By that I mean, can these crazy things spar [...]

Where Has the Church Been?

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Reading Jim Wallis' Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street.

Makes me wonder: Where has the church been the last 50 years?

What kinds of questions have we been asking of ourselves? Of our politicians and our financial captains?

Have we been asking questions at all?

Or have we retreated into our theological havens, our self-help retreat centers, our feel-good-and-be-prosperous church growth stategies?

Have we offered a creed withou [...]

The Glorious Liberal Spirit

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A friend asked me to put some thought together to define liberal as I see it ...

Here's what I wrote:

Hi John ... I think both ... a freedom to think broadly, experimentally - but clearly, for me, the term represents the best in America's political story - that which gave us the National Parks and child labor laws; that which abolished slavery and established civil rights for people of color and women.

The liberal spirit busted the trusts under Teddy Roosevelt, gave u [...]

Four beatitudes for congregational leadership

webmaster@pres-outlook.org — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:07:13 +0100

A few weeks ago I led a workshop with the pastoral staff and lay leadership of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, a grand and historic congregation in the Uptown, or University area, of New Orleans. Though this part of the city largely escaped the worst of Hurricane Katrina (the church’s sanctuary was badly damaged but has been restored), this congregation has experienced a rebirth in the wake of the storm because of the sense of mission the devastation awakened. In the weeks following th [...]

Praying for the EPC

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A good friend and his congregation were recently dismissed, graciously, to the EPC, and though he and I differ significantly on quite a few things, he and I have known one another for nearly 20 years and each respects the other.

Knowing one another, there can never be charges of any kind, because of our mutual regard and respect - for we have come to our differences via much the same path: prayer and study, faithfulness to Christ and a love for the church.

Yet, like Paul and Barna [...]

The Church of Jesus Christ - A Poem

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We compliment one another …

Some can sing and some can pray with a special gift that blesses someone else.

Some can teach and some can preach.

Some have a way with dollars and cents.

Some can plan and organize.

Some have an extraordinary sensitivity and compassion.

Some are visionary.

Everything is up for grabs at the start of the 10th year of the 21st Century.

Not unlike the years surrounding Calvin's tumultuous and creative life. At any point in time, it was impossible to predict how the next ten years would unfold in Geneva. Yet Calvin wrote prodigiously and hopefully, anchored in God's sovereignty and with a passion for the person in the pew, so to speak.

As I begin the year and look back [...]

Room in the Inn for sure; Blog reflections on letters to the editor

webmaster@pres-outlook.org — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:01:27 +0100

As the writer of a weekly editorial, I often can predict which editorials will generate a flurry of damning letters to the editor. From time to time, the flurry turns into a real winter storm, and once in a long while it catches me like a blizzard, catching me by surprise. So it has been this past week as critical letter upon letter has popped into my inbox.

My shoulders are broad enough to handle such reactions. God well prepared me for this role l [...]

Calvin & the Literalists

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Fun to read Calvin defending his views on the Lord's Supper against the literalists (4.17.22 ff) who accused Calvin of being loose with Scripture. Calvin extols the need for interpretation rather than an impossible literal reading of "this is my body," etc.. Interesting in light of debate today on GLBT ordination. Calvin expresses his weariness in the attacks on his faithfulness and his scholarship. But literalists always accuse those who engage in thoughtful interpretation of faithles [...]

Farewell

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A friend from long ago has left the PCUSA for the EPC, along with his congregation.

I sent a note wishing him well, in the hope that he will find peace in the EPC and be able to serve the Christ he knows in a manner consistent with the how the Spirit has shaped his soul.

Needless to say, I'm saddened by his decision and sympathetic with all the emotions.

Perhaps like a divorce, there's the temptation on the part of the one leaving to eliminate ambiguity and doubt - to justif [...]

What Would Really Happen?

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

What would really happen if we cleared the way and began to ordain, without question, GLBT persons, who, like all the rest of those ordained, would answer the basic questions of faith in Christ and vow a willingness to work with their colleagues to promote the gospel and to stand for justice?

What would really happen?

Would it be the end of the world as we know it?

Would the Bible fall and cease to be an endless source of wonder and challenge, bewiderment and blessing? Woul [...]

Two "Baptisms"???

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Reading Calvin on baptism, I ponder something I've been working on for some years now - two "baptisms" - one related to circumcision - i.e. God's grace toward us, unmerited and unconditional; and John's baptism (given to the already-circumcized) as a reconfirmation and witness to others - as Calvin says, "our confession before men" (4.15.1). Two "baptisms" would, once and for all, bind together and affirm that which has divided Protestantism - infant vs. adult bapti [...]

San Francisco and Lisa Larges

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

San Francisco Presbytery votes to ordain Lisa Larges, though it'll be on hold for awhile because of legal wrangling.

I'm relieved to hear this, and hats off to SF and to Lisa.

Though for some in our ranks, this can mean nothing but sorrow.

Where and how shall we work it out?

That we can have unity only when we have diversity is the nature of unity. Without diversity, all we would have is uniformity, and uniformity requires very little of us.

Our Lord re [...]

GLBT and Me

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It's been some years since I worked my way through the questions and relevant Scripture and all things pertaining thereto ... well, not all, but a lot.

I made my decision prayerfully and, I hope, thoughtfully.

Yet, I find, upon reflection, that the values and experiences of my life played a role. For a number of reasons, I've always felt myself on the "outside" of things - as a child, we moved a good many times, I had a lot of allergy-related issues, I was ov [...]

Calvin, Vows and Celibacy for GLBT Persons

tomeggebeen@gmail.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Does Calvin's work on vows (e.g. 4.13.21) have any bearing on PCUSA's position on GLBT persons? That a requirement of celibacy flies in the face of nature? Calvin is clear: celibacy is a gift [Matt 19:11-12], and for those in whom it is not a gift, marriage is a gift from the Lord, too. Are there some insights here to shed light on current debate?