Uncategorized – Coffee & Theology

Inhabiting Immanuel

Christmas is almost here. This time of year is my favorite. It’s not quite the same here in France as it was back in Minnesota in the USA. For one, there’s no snow. It doesn’t get so cold. Family’s not around. So Christmastime is a different experience than it used to be. But it’s stillContinue reading “Inhabiting Immanuel”

Caffeinated Chronicles Part 13: From Suitcase to Soulwork – Mission Year, Pictionary, and the Blues Musician from Memphis

Oof, it’s been a while. I believe my last post in this series had me talking about signing up for Mission Year. Wow, how am I going to cover that year in one post? Maybe I won’t. I applied for this program out of a deep desire to find like-minded people who wanted to liveContinue reading “Caffeinated Chronicles Part 13: From Suitcase to Soulwork – Mission Year, Pictionary, and the Blues Musician from Memphis”

Failing the Commandments, Clinging to Mercy

Father, You gave us two rules and we didn’t keep either of them. The story of humanity is the story of you telling us the same things over and over and of us failing to follow. For some reason we humans feel the need to create more rules for ourselves, to misinterpret the things you’veContinue reading “Failing the Commandments, Clinging to Mercy”

Shoots of Spring

I was a young idealist. I thought the world could change, That green shoots of spring would emerge From the dark frosty ground. If I could just say the right words Then people would hear; Their minds and hearts would open To the suffering they now ignore. The world could be better If people cameContinue reading “Shoots of Spring”

Against the Darkness: Living Out the Gospel in Troubled Times

Ok, I’ve got to say something. I can’t just leave it open to interpretation. I try not to be overly political here, and I’ll try to continue to maintain my sense of grace when I discuss these things. However, this fight is real. It seems that the Powers of Darkness are winning, and I won’tContinue reading “Against the Darkness: Living Out the Gospel in Troubled Times”

Caffeinated Chronicles: Part 9-Faith Journeys: Navigating the Gray Zones of Belief with Shane Claiborne and Upton Sinclair

Shane Claiborne, what can I say. In the story of my spiritual journey, there’s probably no single individual who has been more influential. And I discovered him thanks to a Lutheran teacher. I’ve already talked about my cognitive dissonance at the discovery that Lutherans, whom I believed weren’t Christians, loved Jesus as much as anyContinue reading “Caffeinated Chronicles: Part 9-Faith Journeys: Navigating the Gray Zones of Belief with Shane Claiborne and Upton Sinclair”

Caffeinated Chronicles: Part 4 – From Hymns to Heartache: Unveiling the Facade of Familial Bliss

Well I guess it’s that time. Time for me to begin delving into my faith formation. I’ve touched on it a bit so far, but it goes much deeper than you may perhaps realize. I talked in my previous post about my experience going to church at least three times every week. In that post,Continue reading “Caffeinated Chronicles: Part 4 – From Hymns to Heartache: Unveiling the Facade of Familial Bliss”

Caffeinated Chronicles: Part 3 – From Hymns to Hide and Seek: A Veneer of Happy Family

In my last post in the series, I shared a bit about our move to South Carolina and our lives while we were there. These were some of my formative years, where I learned about the world and what it means to be human. It wasn’t all Toys R Us and blackberry picking though. InContinue reading “Caffeinated Chronicles: Part 3 – From Hymns to Hide and Seek: A Veneer of Happy Family”