As a general rule, Christians are considered to be a rather severe bunch, people who tend to take ourselves and world pretty seriously. While there is definitely a positive aspect to this — we do only get one chance to live this life so it’s important to make the most of it — it has … Continue reading Subverting Expectation: Humour, Tricksters, and Transformation
In Sunday’s post on Thanksgiving, I talked about a constellation of closely related ideas —gratitude, respect, reciprocity, and generosity — in terms of their close relationship in Indigenous belief systems and how they connect to Christian teachings. All of these ideas are grounded in understanding one’s place in the world. If the world is a … Continue reading Walk Humbly
There are times when following a lectionary creates some interesting parallels or juxtapositions to what is happening in the world. Today is one of those days; for today is July 4, the national holiday the United States of America, the most powerful country the world has ever seen. Even in this time when many Americans … Continue reading Power Made Perfect: A Reflection on 2 Corinthians 12.2-10
If you knew your time was up and you had one last opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for your friends and family, what would you do? What would you say? It's an interesting question to be sure, and one that is probably worth some contemplation. Whatever it is you would choose to say, you'd … Continue reading Famous Last Words: A Reflection for Maundy Thursday
In this little series on the mystics, my goal each week has been to hold up a particular gem of a Christian history to the light for closer examination. In doing so, we see both their exquisite beauty (why we read them) but also their flaws (how they can fall short), and even the awkwardness … Continue reading Humility or Humiliation?
Matthew Root 