Of the basic teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha one of the most influential for Buddhist thought and life is what is called the ‘middle way’ or ‘middle path’. This was the epiphany that true freedom and wisdom is to be found neither in the life of indulgence knew knew in the palace … Continue reading The Gospel and the Middle Path
In our highly individualist, consumer-driven culture, we often (hopefully unintentionally) bring our customer mentality to spirituality, as though God should be happy for our business and trip over Godself to ensure we have a positive experience and 'meet our needs'. But of course, we’re dealing with the infinite creator of the universe here, and so … Continue reading Only Our Duty: A Reflection on Luke 17.5-10
A lot has happened in bookish and pop culture the past couple weeks since I did one of these posts. So without further ado: Roundup Music Whether she wants to or not, Taylor Swift takes up a lot of air in the pop-cultural space, so it's no surprise that the lead up to the release … Continue reading Culture Roundup (October 4, 2025): Reading the Giller Prize Longlist and Initial Thoughts on The Life of a Showgirl
Last time, we explored the core Buddhist teaching of impermanence and how it relates to Christian teaching. Today we’ll see that that same understanding of pervasive instability extends even to the person itself. This is the concept of anatta, ‘non-self’. It’s an oft misunderstood idea, so will need some unpacking before we can responsibly look … Continue reading Who Am I Anyway?: Non-Self and the Gospel
I went for a walk the other day and couldn’t help but notice the signs that the season is changing around me. Gone are chirping cicadas and the sharp smells of high Summer's grasses, replaced by the honking of geese heading north and the smell of fallen leaves. Change has also been afoot in my … Continue reading ‘Where Moth and Rust Consume’: Impermanence and the Gospel
Matthew Root 