: I bring along a verse or two of Scripture from the daily lectionary on my sabbath walks. …
: Spring was springing in Jackson Park this morning.
: It’s not out until October, but the new book is now available for preorder.
: Plough is the rare magazine I read cover to cover and the latest issue is no exception.
: Well, the forthcoming book has a title, Plundered: The Tangled Roots of Racial and Environmental …
: Christmas afternoon walk along the Lake Michigan breakwater.
: From this morning’s sermon: “We plan calendars; God plans galaxies. We plan timelines; …
: The fog covering Chicago today has Jackson Park looking especially evocative.
: It was 13° during my walk through Jackson Park this morning and this American Kestrel was using its …
: Always lovely to return home to some highly anticipated mail.
: Views from the drive home. Such an interesting and perplexing country we share, isn’t it? See you …
: I’ve been reflecting on the tendency to reduce grievous complexity to simple binaries. I …
: Testing out the new balaclava today with the hope of extending the bike commute deeper into …
: Jackson Park looking seasonally splendid this morning.
: A beautiful morning for a walk through Jackson Park.
: A couple of my companions during my walk through Jackson Park this morning.
: Lake Geneva, WI looking good in the morning light.
: A leisurely walk through Jackson Park on a drizzly Chicago morning.
: Got to hang out with a couple of ruby-throated hummingbirds during my walk this afternoon.
: On the hottest day of the year, the only reasonable thing to do was to take an after-supper bike …
: A fun first for us last night: watching our 9th-grader play his first JV soccer game under the …
: The stack accompanying me as I begin the last chapter of the first draft.
: In my latest newsletter I’m learning from W.E.B. Du Bois about priorities. “By refusing …
: In his intro to Black Reconstruction, Du Bois does something we need more of. He acknowledges the …
: Stopped for pizza on a restaurant patio yesterday in Western Michigan. Beautiful evening and …
: I’m approaching the halfway point for the first draft of the second book. Here are some of my …
: A handsome northern flicker on this morning’s walk through Jackson Park.
: A handsome northern flicker on this morning’s walk through Jackson Park.
: “Father, we thank you for keeping us through the night and gathering us together in your …
: “Father, we thank you for keeping us through the night and gathering us together in your …
: Jackson Park was aflutter with busy warblers this morning along with some handsome wood ducks and …
: “O God, our Father, thou who art not far from any one of us. How rich is the assurance that …
: Lord our God, through your Son who is our Brother, and through the Spirit who cries out to you in …
: “Lord, you are the God of life, who created all things by the power of your Spirit. We pray to …
: God, when you gave your Son the glory which is his, with you, you gathered the disciples in prayer …
: The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it …
: A rare Thursday walk through Jackson Park with my feathered companions.
: “Lord Jesus Christ, we come before you on this day of triumph, grateful for the knowledge of …
: I’m looking into the Linus Roadster as my around-the-neighborhood bike. Anyone have any …
: Lot’s of chirping and skerfuffling during today’s walk through Jackson Park.
: “Almighty and eternal God, by the cross of your Son you revealed your love to us, and by his …
: “When we love the earth, we are able to love ourselves more fully. I believe this. The …
: “A thing is right, when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the …
: “On this festival day, let us be glad in the testimony of the holy women and the apostles: …
: Preachers “must forever examine themselves… Are such leaders mere echoes of the …
: Good morning preachers! What’s your text and big idea for the sermon tomorrow? We’re …
: Felt like the right location for sermon prep this afternoon given Sunday’s sermon title: “Creation’s …
: “I suspect that when modern Americans ask “what is sacred?” they are really asking …
: I re-watched Look and See, the documentary about Wendell Berry’s life and work, tonight and, …
: “To admit to being a creature is to appreciate one’s finitude and need, and to know that …
: Among many others birds, I was joined by a dark-eyed junco, red-winged blackbird, and ruby-crowned …
: The resurrection “is not an absurd event within the old world but the symbol and starting …
: I couldn’t disagree more with this article, “I’ll choose heroes before martyrs any …
: Preachers, how’s your Easter sermon coming? What’s the passage and big idea? I’m …
: A mute swan and its entourage on one of the many lagoons in Miller Woods this morning.
: First hike at the Indiana National Lakeshore in 2023.
: Any other Azul players out there?
: Taking care of the Easter haircuts early in the week.
: “Faithful to your promise, O God, your Son Jesus comes to inaugurate his hour. Number us among …
: One of our church leaders gave me this bust of Ida B. Wells after a recent visit to the National …
: “God’s reality is constantly revealed in the divine power that creates, sustains, …
: Homemade tortillas because… why not?
: Lots of critters out and about in Jackson Park this morning.
: Got to hear Elizabeth Bruenig speak about forgiveness at the University of Chicago this afternoon. …
: Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon …
: Preachers, what’s the passage and big idea for your sermon? I’ll be in Psalm 130, …
: In this morning’s version of homemade sourdough makes everything better: avocado toast with …
: Nice to see the herons stalking about Jackson Park again after a few month’s winter hiatus.
: “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6) …
: “God of hosts, bring us back. Let you face shine on us, and we shall be saved. In your …
: Preachers, what’s the text and main point for your sermon tomorrow? I’ll be in Psalm …
: A beautiful walk through Jackson Park this morning: the noisy red-winged blackbirds are back (a sure …
: Preachers, what’s the passage and theme for your sermon today? I’ll be in Mark 14:3-9, …
: “God of mercy and compassion, we praise you for this day on which you raised Jesus from the …
: Today is the day, Chicago! Find your polling place here.
: An overnight ride from Memphis to Atlanta on the Sankofa bus, an early morning flight home, and then …
: As pastors and ministry leaders called to the ministry of racial justice and reconciliation, it’s …
: “I question America.” Fannie Lou Hamer
: Yesterday our group visited the King Center where Dr. King’s six principles of nonviolence are …
: Pray for us! Tonight we embark from Atlanta on another Sankofa pilgrimage to different sites that …
: “Blessed are you, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By his suffering and death you have …
: Philip Yancey, reflecting on his Parkinson’s diagnosis: “With some exceptions, those who …
: This regal black-capped chickadee hung out with me for a few minutes during my walk through Jackson …
: Booked tickets to Puerto Rico yesterday for a family vacation this summer. I’ve never been so I’m …
: Good morning from our beautiful city.
: Father, we thank you for keeping us through the night and gathering us together in your presence at …
: I sometimes wonder if we’re getting so good at being as shrewd as serpents that we’ve …
: This black-capped chickadee wants to remind Chicagoans not to be fooled; it’s still …
: “When you approach God, then, try to think and realize Whom you are about to address … …
: Preachers, what’s the passage and big idea for your sermon tomorow? We’re in Isaiah …
: I was joined by a couple of goldfinches, a downy woodpecker, and some robins on my blustery walk …
: Last morning in my favorite non-Chicago city.
: Halfway thru a working weekend in NYC and had to grab a quick view of Central Park. Always a …
: The majority of a pastor’s time, I’ve come to believe, ought to be spent demonstrating …
: “I take literally the statement in the Gospel of John that God loves the world. I believe that …
: Lord, creator of heaven and earth, give us a spirit of thanksgiving at the dawning of this day. Fill …
: The 13-yr-old baked a pineapple upside-down cake in our old cast iron skillet completely on his own. …
: “I’m just trying to get home.”
: “I admit that most of the spiritual pain I have experienced over the years has been the result …
: Heading home. I was hoping for an open middle seat but no such luck.
: The idea of the USA as a pre-Christian nation makes way more sense to me than does all the …
: Traveling with my associate this week.
: Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power. (Psalm 21:13)
: Preachers, what passage will you preach tomorrow? What’s your main point? We’re starting …
: “My limitations make space for the gifts of other people.” Joan D. Chittister
: If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us, then they would have …
: I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you …
: This afternoon our church’s nonprofit held a volunteer appreciation event. Such a hopeful afternoon! …
: Preachers, what’s your passage and big idea for tomorrow’s sermon? I’ll be in Acts …
: Today I violated one of my rules for life - always bring a book, even if you don’t think …
: Multiracial churches led by the culturally privileged address injustice with reflection (book …
: Churches are to be communities which treat the comforts of privilege as boundaries to cross, not …
: From this morning’s sermon about the centrality of Scripture, “A better story and better …
: “God most holy, through his baptism in the Jordan, your Word made holy the waters of our …
: Pastors discipling people formed by cultures of cut-throat capitalism, in which everything and …
: Our church’s monthly neighborhood prayer walk remains, to me, one of the best things about our …
: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For …
: MLK weekend is a great time for white pastors to preach humbly about racial justice to their white …
: MLK weekend is a great time for white pastors to preach humbly about racial justice to their white …
: It’s become our church’s practice to gather online for a short Watchnight Service on New …
: Attending with affection. This is what the authors of the books I read this year helped me do. I …
: “At the heart of the lifework of many artists I have known is a simple but profound statement: …
: We’re in no hurry to get home so we spent a few hours exploring Springfield, including Lincoln’s …
: The Cahokia Mounds, about 15 minutes outside of St. Louis on the Illinois side of the Mississippi …
: The Cahokia Mounds, about 15 minutes outside of St. Louis on the Illinois side of the Mississippi …
: The view of St. Louis from the Gateway Arch includes the Old Courthouse, site of slave auctions and …
: The City Museum in Saint Louis 100% lived up to the hype. The 8-yr-old, 13-yr-old, and both …
: We’re spending the morning in Memphis so we had to walk by First Beale Street Baptist Church. Ida B. …
: Our family is headed to Saint Louis for a few days and we’ll be looking for some good …
: Second year in a row that my Christmas breakfast has been provided by Frontera in O’Hare. Best thing …
: “Lord Jesus, you come to renew all creation, and your birth is the rebirth of the world. Grant …
: After braving the -1 degree temps and gusting winds walking to the train satiation, I ducked into …
: “So the Word of God came himself, in order that he being the image of the Father, the human …
: Pour forth your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we to whom the incarnation of your Son Jesus was …
: Pour forth your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we to whom the incarnation of your Son Jesus was …
: A beautiful afternoon to meander around Waterfall Glen in the Chicago suburbs.
: Bumped into a Red-tailed Hawk (I think) enjoying its freshly caught squirrel breakfast on my walk …
: Pumpkin molasses sourdough, fresh from the oven on this rainy Chicago morning.
: A good day for a misty walk through the park.
: The Peugeot Sound is alway beautiful, especially to my Midwestern eyes.
: Prepping some very gingery cookies for the oven.
: Finished Taking America Back for God this afternoon and if I was pastoring a different sort of …
: It’s been quite a good reading year.
: Within cultures of destruction and exploitation, the way of harmony usually seems radical. From my …
: I cannot stand when people stand to sing the national anthem…I ask myself the question, …
: Since each culture, each generation, and each congregation has aspects of individuality, each …
: Muir Woods did not dissapoint.
: The good life, along this grain, can’t be attained by coercion, manipulation, or violence. …
: Our last night on the beach.
: Quite the view, 450 feet above the lake.
: Walking back to our campsite, another beautiful Michigan dusk as our backdrop.
: The s’more, perfected. (Trick is to melt the chocolate on the graham cracker by placing it near your …
: Good morning from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
: Alligator Hill, surrounded on all sides by plump, wild blackberries with a view of Lake Michigan …
: That rarest of things, a vacation Sunday, means lunch at Lula Cafe before a stroll thru the …
: New stack. Have you read any of these? I’m about a third of the way through WOLF HALL. Which should …
: Blackberry hand pies for tonight’s picnic. (When it comes to fruit pies, looks is secondary to …
: A good way to begin the vacation.
: Our 7-yr-old’s birth mom baked him a treasure chest birthday cake and we’re all super …
: My coworker for the morning. She’s studying for an exam while I prep a sermon. Pretty great!
: Cool fountain on a warm morning.
: We are visiting Wisconsin and the local NPR affiliate is doing an in-depth call-in segment about …
: In today’s newsletter I share a Juneteenth sermon: There is Freedom. “Those early June …
: In tomorrow’s newsletter I share a sermon for Juneteenth from 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now …
: Working on something I’ve been meaning to get to for a while.
: Visiting Grand Rapids for a friend’s 40th birthday. Al fresco dining at Brewery Vivant.
: A good way to begin the day.
: A good sabbath walk through Jackson Park on a muggy afternoon.
: “‘Teach me thy ways, O Lord’ is, like all prayers, a rash one, and one I cannot but recommend.” …
: Cooking from a couple of favorite cookbooks today: lemon and blueberry frozen yogurt and bbq spiced …
: Pre-bedtime fire in the garden.
: Got to hang out with this goldfinch along with oriels, warblers, some noisy redwing blackbirds, and …
: The six-yr-old would prefer to read with his mom the rest of the evening but we’re going with his …
: “The Objectivity of God closes the intellect up in wonder. The richness of this Mystery is …
: In today’s newsleteter: Who gets to determine the ideal?
: Got to hang out with a few Wood Ducks in Jackson Park this afternoon on my sabbath walk.
: “We’ve been crushed down among evil men. We don’t know where to go, we only know …
: Illinois, join us for prayer tomorrow afternoon.
: There’s a certain kind of elder saint who can say “prayer changes things” and I feel that thing in …
: “Given racism’s critical role in providing an outlet for white frustrations caused by …
: Wasn’t expecting the Cooper’s Hawk to back down, but that’s what happened!
: “If you do not confess the greatenss of the debt, you do not discover the excess of …
: Lots of Sandhill Cranes at the Indiana National Lakeshore today.
: In this week’s newsletter, a sermon from Genesis 16. “Every one of us has known at least …
: Please listen to this report by my friend Esther Yoon-Ji Kang on NPR’s All Things Considered: …
: Caught this White-breasted Nuthatch building a nest on my afternoon walk.
: In this week’s newsletter: Leaving the white church for what? The white people leaving white …
: “As witness of God-with-us, the church is called to stand silently at the places where the national …
: While hiking a portion of the Ice Age Trail in southern Wisconsin today, we heard a distinct call …
: In this week’s newsletter I write about the abiding connection between worship and justice. …
: “By the time Europeans began colonizing the planet while defaming the name of Jesus, …
: “[The rich man] is directed to distribute it to his fellow servants who are in want. So if he spends …
: Spotted a few mourning cloak butterflies on my walk through Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve.
: “To reach a goal is not the reason to do a spiritual discipline; it is to experience God. Even …
: I expanded on my ten characteristics of biblical justice for my friends at Missio Alliance.
: A Ring-billed Gull passing by our spot at 63rd St. Beach. Another of our wintertime bird companions …
: In this week’s newsletter: 10 characteristics of biblical justice. What’d I miss?
: Stumbled onto this beautiful American Kestrel hunting for lunch on my walk through the meadow this …
: “The cross embodies the deep contradictions between the empire’s claims about itself and …
: “Obedience is a matter of love, which makes it voluntary, not compelled by fear or force.” Dorothy …
: Excited that my Ida B. Wells pin finally arrived.
: “There lingers on the edge of human memory a mood, a notion, a half thought, a vauge awareness …
: In this week’s newsletter I’m still thinking about wilderness and exile, with some help …
: The fresh oat and honey sourdough has our apartment smelling wonderful this morning.
: The Red-breasted Mergansers seemed to appreciate the receding lake ice this afternoon. 📷
: As for you, my beloved, if you sit at table, remember that from the table you must go to prayer. …
: God of mercy, in this season when you call the Church to conversion, help us to overcome the …
: In my latest newsletter I begin reflecting on the biblical themes of wilderness and exile with some …
: Day-off walk through a whole bunch of snow in Jackson Park.
: Exploring the frozen lakeshore this afternoon.
: The Epiphany star stays up until Lent. “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast …
: A good afternoon on the sledding hill.
: Today’s newsletter: Trauma, Terror, and Better Questions “How did we get here? We have to ask this …
: You preached the sermon. You wrote the letter to your congregation, your ministry, your team. You’ve …
: Taking an all-day class about soul care which, after this week, couldn’t have come at a better time. …
: New Years Eve peace march to remember those in Chicago who were violently taken from us this year. …
: Their favorites: a drone and a metal detector. Just warm enough to try them out this afternoon.
: Is it possible to eat too many xiao long bao? Not in our experience.
: Christmas breakfast: sourdough cinnamon rolls.
: Yup. Happy Christmas Eve from Bronzeville.
: Cold front moving in; geese moving out.
: This afternoon, an hour south of the city, we watched a short-eared owl glide past reclining bison …
: An afternoon walk. Love this city.
: “The call to repentance I understand as a call to be liberated from our human perceived need …
: Still my favorite Advent song. “We’ve lost our fathers We’ve lost our mothers We didn’t quite …
: It is, for me, a strange way of reading Scripture which understands the creator God as desiring …
: How old do your kids have to be before they stop randomly crashing into things and falling off of …
: Lots to be grateful about despite our collective strange and difficult circumstances. Blessings to …
: Drippy day-off walk through Jackson Park.
: Scrumptious apple hand-pies with cheddar crust from Sarah Owens’ sourdough cookbook. For breakfast, …
: From today’s newsletter: “In the end, much of our attempted diplomacy ends up being …
: There are worse ways to start the day than with a couple loaves of pumpkin-raisin sourdough.
: One of our wintertime companions.
: “Whiteness comes to rest in space. The maturity whiteness aims at always forms segregated spaces. It …
: Sourdough crust, homemade tomato sauce, pickled jalapeños, bacon, mozzarella, & ricotta. Can’t …
: Saint Dorothy has joined Saint Ida on my study wall.
: Autumn shadows at the Indiana National Lakeshore.
: “How can we help but to lament when we don’t find our sisters and brothers offering comfort …
: “Too often the price exacted by society for security and respectability is that the Christian …
: “Is it not possible to protest, to expose, to complain, to point out abuses and demand reforms …
: Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Jackson Park.
: “We do not create the circumstances which allow us to love others. That possibility has …
: Prayer is never other than a sequel, a consequence, a response, to the word of invitation. If it is …
: An afternoon in Jackson Park.
: Just learned that A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold and Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the …
: A nice walk along the beach to the Ludington lighthouse. Social distancing is pretty easy around …
: A drizzly, hazy, and beautiful hike alongside the Manistee River in Michigan.
: “[Jesus] recognized fully that out of the heart are the issues of life and that no external …
: A visual metaphor for these days.
: Join me on Thursday for a conversation with Rev. Dr. @ProfeChaoRomero, @ivpress author of the newly …
: “Our American Christians are too busy saving the souls of white Christians from burning in hell-fire …
: My friend @ColbyMecher is making t-shirts with a prophetic word to the church for this moment. …
: There’s one chapter in this book that’s packed with really helpful Juneteeth history. It’s a helpful …
: “Your Sabbath, Lord, thus keeps us by Your will, not ours. And it is fit Our only choice should be …
: Another fun day at the Indiana National Lakeshore.
: Better-than-average mail day.
: The 5th grader and his 5-yr-old brother woke up humming Lauryn Hill songs so yeah I’d say we’re …
: Solidarity is better than diversity.
: Pre-supper walk with these two masked men.
: In this week’s newsletter: how I came to write a book about white Christianity’s …
: Turmeric and leek sourdough. Best smelling loaves yet!
: A day away at the Indiana National Lakeshore.
: I kinda love our unpredictable Chicago springs.
: In this week’s newsletter I’m lameting what the current experience of my incarcerated …
: A new evening ritual: a candle in the front window. Have you started any new rituals over the past …
: So glad the herons are back.
: This brown butter sourdough banana bread has our apartment smelling sooooo good.
: People in our neighborhood are filling their front windows with teddy bears so children can find …
: Male and female house finches. Glad we refilled the bird feeders!
: After-school walk through the park.
: Headed north for the morning.
: Dessert experiment: lemon icebox pie with candied blood oranges and a ginger snap crust.
: Our Fat Tuesday supper: braised lamb shanks, roasted potatoes, garden salad, and this sublime key …
: Wind and waves on Lake Michigan.
: In this week’s newsletter I write about a couple of friends who are getting practical about …
: American Kestrel, Jackson Park.
: This week’s newsletter features @vbacote, whose recommendation changed my life 20 years ago, …
: Wintertime walks are the best.
: This week’s newsletter: Scapegoating the obvious racist feels good for how I’m distanced from …
: Sweet potato and molasses sourdough. The beautiful smell in our apartment right now…
: As always Washington, you’ve been great. Until next time.
: For the first day of a new decade I wrote about birds and learning to be more human. “When my …
: Late-afternoon walk at low tide.
: It’s been another good reading year. Here are five of my favorites with brief reviews of each.
: Mt. Baker, approaching the Anacortes Ferry Terminal.
: Christmas dusk on Camano Island, WA.
: Poking me head in here during my Advent break from social media to point to this article I wrote …
: This week’s newsletter, provoked by a head-scratching interview with historian James McPherson …
: Breakfast with my favorite 5-yr-old.
: Thinking about James Baldwin and Ta-Nehisi Coates in Paris … and the fanatical white people …
: When it comes to racial reconciliation/justice, many white people begin by asking people of color, …
: Day-off baking: donuts & bacon.
: Publication is still a few months away, but it seems like Rediscipling the White Church is actually …
: We use Eucharsitic Prayers in our Communion liturgy and I’m always amazed at how timely the prayers …
: In an anti-racism training today. This understanding of racism is so key to reckoning with its scope …
: A few of my companions on my walk through Jackson Park yesterday: Hermit Thrush, Downy Woodpecker, …
: Had the good fortune of being given two of the new Library of America collection, What I Stand On: …
: A rainy morning breakfast - croissant, omelette, and espresso - at Café de Flore, one of James …
: You were beautiful Crete. Our favorite.
: A reflection on the hug that has us all talking. The Offense of Grace: Botham and Brandt Jean and …
: A beautiful day on the west coast of Crete.
: Paris question: My wife and I have a couple of nights coming up in the city. If you could eat at one …
: First morning in Crete: A beautiful hike through Sirikari Gorge.
: Maggie and I have been traveling through Greece to celebrate our 20th anniversary. This biography of …
: Late-night backgammon in the old city of Rhodes.
: Waiting for the ferry to Rhodes.
: Spotted these good-looking guys hunting bugs in an ancient cypress tree on Tilos this morning.
: On our last full day on Tilos we were up with the sun for our first hike of the day. A steep and …
: Getting the lay of the land on our first morning on Tilos before hiking to a beach that was deserted …
: Exploring the old city of Rhodes.
: Our spectacular dinner view on the island of Rhodes.
: Standing in this ”place of judgement” before the Corinthian authorities, the temple to Aphrodite on …
: Views from Areopagus Hill (Mars Hill).
: We’ve got some travel coming up, so I’ll be taking a break from my newsletter for a …
: A Cooper’s Hawk hunting in the garden.
: My newsletter is ending up being a mostly weekly affair.
: Squeezing every drop from summer days.
: Taking a second pass at these revisions. Pray saints!
: Sans context, I’d struggle to know if you’re talking about your enneagram type or astrological sign.
: “It is difficult to recognize pride as a sin when it is held up on every side as a virture, …
: “In comparison to the Kongo of 1619, early colonial Virginia was an undeveloped Christian …
: Waiting for the sunrise on our last morning at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
: Yesterday evening and this morning. Not bad at all Sleeping Bear Dunes, not bad at all.
: Following our fearless leader along the Empire Bluffs Trail on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National …
: Morning walk along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
: A black-crowned night heron in Jackson Park this morning.
: This woman has shaped me in more ways than I’ll ever know. Rev. Debbie Blue has been my spiritual …
: Up next. Anyone else reading this?
: Aaaaand… the book has a cover.
: “After a long winter of waiting, it was my first duty to go out lamenting. So after the first rain …
: Just sent another edition of my occasional newsletter.
: Not quite sure how this happened, but this is the first time I’m getting to Peterson’s classic on …
: House built by Jacob Burkle, a German immigrant, in Memphis in 1849 as a stop on the Underground …
: We started our morning remembering those whose blood ran down this bridge on Bloody Sunday in 1965, …
: I want to live in that place. (Kelly Ingram Park. Birmingham, AL.)
: Spending our morning in Birmingham at the feet of our elders. As children these saints placed their …
: Michael Brown was killed five years ago. A few weeks later I joined other clergy for a night walking …
: “His problem, too familiar to him by then, was that he did not know enough. He knew the outline, and …
: Evening walk to Promontory Point.
: The heat wave has passed for now.
: Searching for treasure on Northerly Island.
: May the church be found faithful.
: A male Downy Woodpecker carrying some food for his babies.
: Waiting for the barber to finish up with his brother.
: New on the blog: Wait, what?! On being married to the same person - sort of - for 20 years.
: A fun morning traipsing around the park.
: One of the dangers of a multi-racial church is that we can confuse our proximity to racial diversity …
: After-school exploring along the lake and in Jackson Park. Lots of Ring-billed Gulls and a Great …
: Just a few days till the New Community Covenant Church Faith & Race Workshop!
: Spotted this oriel on our morning walk.
: This book about the Coptic martyrs captured my imagination more than anything else I’ve read …
: “Our black bodies literally have less economic value than the body of a white person,” she said. “As …
: Best books or articles reflecting on the Christian idea of the imago dei?
: Conspiring about our 20th anniversary.
: Our Minister of Discipleship, @wkim83, has written a really good article for @RedeemerCTC about the …
: New blog post: What are white people to do after realizing our conflation of nationality, ethnicity, …
: I was surrounded by red-winged blackbirds during my morning walk through the meadow.
: I’m thrilled to participate in this event at @nseminary in June. Dr. @reglwill’s book, …
: “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be …
: Two great finds at @strandbookstore yesterday, by @JemarTisby and @flemingrut. The Rutledge …
: During the 2008 presidential campaign I was randomly asked by a New York Times reporter what one …
: We got a beautiful spring day to explore NYC.
: Thrilled that Ida B. Wells is the focus of our church’s next Faith & Race Workshop. If you’re in …
: A beautiful spring day for a walk in Tallman Mountain State Park.
: Visiting the little red lighthouse, one of our boys’ favorite NYC traditions.
: Drove up to North Chicago yesterday to pick up this 1977 (my birth year!) Schwinn Traveler.
: Feeling like spring in Chicago.
: So ends another Sankofa Journey. So grateful for the members of this beloved community who now …
: Blessing Ms Elaine Turner who, as a teenager, was arrested more times than she can remember for …
: Our pilgrimage today began with a time of reflection at the Edmund Pettus Bridge before retracing …
: We ended our Friday at The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery remembering the …
: The Wales Window inside the 16th Street Baptist Church.
: Minister Jean Whitlow faced fire hoses and attack dogs while participating in the Birmingham …
: Tonight we leave on another Sankofa Journey toward racial righteousness through the American South. …
: Way too many white people simultaneously assume these two incongruities: 1) that Black people are, …
: Good morning from the Unisphere in Queens.
: An airport custodian just now, in Spanish: “There’s the law for the rich and the law for the poor. …
: Very grateful for the chance to join the @missioalliance writing team. I’ve appreciated …
: Twelve Rules for the Bookish Life (Of course, the bookish life needs no rules.)
: Unpopular opinion: Chicago is beautiful in wintertime.
: Looking forward to spending time with these Lenten resources by @pursuedbytruth beginning with Ash …
: Fleming Rutledge on the uniqueness of Christianity.
: A Common Goldeneye and a Red-breasted Merganser on one of the few non-frozen sections of the …
: First attempt at sourdough bread from a homemade starter. Waiting for it to cool before slicing, but …
: My friend Kevin - a Catholic theologian - has written movingly about reimagining sites of African …
: The 9-yr-old & I had a great time in South Bend last night for the launch of my friend …
: This lake is never not beautiful.
: One of the hardest things about following Jesus is renouncing my delusions about controlling God or …
: Morning departures from Montrose Harbor.
: My review of @caramac54’s book, The Color of Life: A Journey toward Love and Racial Justice, …
: February reading with the 9-yr-old.
: Excited to spend the afternoon with some of our church’s preachers.
: The Christendom church is “a mixed spiritual-secular institution whose identity depends as …
: Aaaand… I’ve sent the draft manuscript to my editor. Is this slightly nauseous feeling …
: -17, looking north from the Adler Planetarium.
: Homemade crusty bread for a chilly evening.
: Coffee break at the Sanctuary Cafe on a chilly morning.
: Religion provides divine sanction for all manner of mess, so the gospel makes religious people …
: Less than a week of editing before sending the first draft of the manuscript off to @ivpress. 😬🙏🏻
: Courageous Discipleship in an Idolatrous Nation: A sermon from 1 Thessalonians 1 on the Martin …
: The stack for the last chapter, tentatively titled “Uncommon Friendships.” Then the conclusion, …
: Exploring the frozen lakeshore.
: Our family is very excited about our new Epiphany star and, per @flemingrut’s example, plan to …
: Today was our church’s monthly prayer walk around three local schools. Very little has proven …
: Writing is hard & I get why writers sometimes grumble - usually good-naturedly - about it, but …
: Looking south before heading north.
: I’ve set today aside to write the next chapter - tentatively titled “presence to …
: I wonder if more American Christians are closer to Jerry Falwell Jr.’s absurdity that …
: I’m proud of y’all for these new year’s resolutions but, as for me and my house, we’re celebrating …
: I’m proud of y’all for these new years resolutions, but we’re celebrating the 8th day of Christmas …
: A few of the voices in my head as I begin writing this next chapter.
: Today we had the opportunity to host three other churches for a community worship service. What an …
: On what my scaredy-cat has taught me about being one and pastoring others.
: A family hike at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
: I reread my friend @JoseHumphreys’s new book as research for the chapter I’m working on …
: Christmas Eve in Brownsville, TN.
: Decorating Christmas cookies.
: It’s too late for your Christmas shopping, but here are some short reflections about five of …
: A few thoughts provoked by the chapter I finished writing this morning: Children, Discipleship, and …
: “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed …
: “Away From The Manger: The Refugee King” by @LizViceOFFICIAL might be more apt after …
: An early Christmas gift. Would I have supported Fannie Lou Hamer’s efforts with the Freedom …
: Racist complicity does not require racist intent.
: Me, to our kids: Advent is a season of waiting, remembering the anticipation of Jesus’ birth. …
: Just about ready to write this next chapter. How does the church reckon seriously with the deforming …
: “It is astonishing how many ways we manage to devise for using the Bible to avoid a believing …
: Enjoying some sunshine on our afternoon walk through the meadow.
: Some of the ways Christians are culturally out of step: We won’t kill anyone, ever. We won’t …
: Sunday walk with my favorite person.
: Ministry folks: What books about children ministry do you recommend? Especially interested in …
: Fascinating cover from the April, 1984 cover of @CTmagazine, though the real treasure is the …
: Ready to write this next chapter.
: “You alone can fill our souls, and You have promised to so so. Enter into us and set us on …
: Here we go! Sweet potato-pumpkin pies cooling on the porch.
: I know we’re approaching Advent, but today’s mail has me thinking about Lent. Thanks to …
: ”…ordain the means whereby we may do something for You…”
: In the pursuit of justice, Christians are unique - strange, even - in how we reject …
: The greatest testimony to the gospel in this white supremacist nation are the generations of Black …
: When it comes to reconciliation, the problem isn’t that the American church struggles to be …
: Just passing through. See you in a few days, Chicago.
: Thanking God for the completion of another sacred Sankofa journey with these women and men. May the …
: “Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the …
: Selma is today. The movement for civil rights is today. The freedom struggle is today.
: “We will remember.” The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Montgomery, AL.
: One of the sculptures in Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham, AL.
: I made some homemade ice cream this morning - blackstrap molasses with pralines, if you’re …
: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your …
: A few of my thoughts & questions for Trump-supporting white Christians on the eve of another …
: What our racialized society assumes to be natural will be resisted as toxic by the reconciling …
: “The frontier of self-exploration has grown, through various spiritual disciplines of …
: “The frontier of self-exploration has grown, through various spiritual disciplines of …
: When faced with the choice of believing white pundits or black Christians, the vast majority of …
: There is now an elaborate system of candy trading happening. Too complicated for my feeble adult …
: My wife made a delicious vegetable curry. I should have that for dinner tonight rather than gorging …
: Fleming Rutledge hopes to add an afterword to her book, The Crucifixion, about a book & author …
: Our sons’ public elementary school is always beautiful this time of year.
: Yesterday I asked our church to put on the full armor of God each morning this week, remembering …