Orthodoxy, translated literally, is “right praise.” In time, it came to mean “sound doctrine” and regularly conveys, more simply, “conforming to the norm.” When something is orthodox it is approved, conventional, standard practice, acceptable. The opposite of orthodox is, not surprisingly, unorthodox or, more technically speaking, heterodox. Heterodoxy literally means “different praise” or, more typically, “unsound or controversial doctrine” and “contrary to popular practice.” If “heterodoxy” is a mouthful or sounds a little unfamiliar, you might be better acquainted with its most extreme form, “heresy,” which...

In another of my favorite TEDTalks, Sir Ken Robinson – an expert on education, creativity, and vocation (he calls it discovering your element) – identifies creativity as perhaps the most important quality for us to develop if we are to solve the problems of our generation. Yet he is concerned that most of our schools are not set up to nurture creativity at all and, in fact, often hamper its development. While he talks about education, however, don’t be deceived, this Talk is for all of us, as we think about how to cultivate creativity in all of our roles and tasks. This particular TEDTalk has been seen by more than...

Luke 24:13-35 Dear Partner in Preaching, How are you doing? It’s been six or seven weeks now of doing ministry we didn’t expect and weren’t trained for, and that’s hard. In the few spare minutes between overseeing things in my own shop, I occasionally visit other congregations via the web and have been so encouraged by all that you are doing and trying. What I see regularly is creativity and resiliency and faithfulness that swells my heart with gratitude. Thank you. As we look at this week’s passage, I’m struck that there is also a fair amount of creativity, resiliency, and faithfulness on display as well. Luke,...

Dear Partner in Preaching, Another wonderful week in the parish has left me with little time to write, so I will repost the piece I wrote 3 years ago. Given all the acrimony and accusation that colors our political discourse, increasingly free-floating anxiety fueled by very real concerns about the economy and environment (among other things), and a generally bleak news cycle, perhaps it will still be helpful, as I think that at this moment in particular it’s easy to forget that grace abounds, often in unlikely places, and that witnessing to it and sharing it with others still has the ability to transform lives. Blessings on your...

Matthew 28:16-20 Dear Partner in Preaching, Ever notice that the close of Matthew’s Gospel, a passage we usually refer to as “the Great Commission,” ends with a promise? I think I sometimes get so caught up in the grandeur and import of the Great Commission that I overlook what I now think of as “the Great Promise” – “And I am with you always, to the end of the age.” I suspect this isn’t an accident. That is, I suspect that our only hope of fulfilling the great commission – sharing the good news of God’s grace in Christ with the world through word and deed and welcoming all into fellowship through Baptism – is by...