I had planned on taking a week off from these explorations of sacred practices during my vacation, but my time away ended up providing me ample reminder of one of the most vital practices of all: accepting things as they are. Background Accepting things to be as they are hasn’t been a huge theme in … Continue reading Acceptance
When we think about how Christians have historically sought to discern truth, this is really quite remarkable. But, according to Jesus, truth is to be judged not by fidelity to tradition or to the letter of Scripture, but by the fruit it bears, by its consequences in and for the world.
One of the most striking features of the theologies that emerged from the Reformation was their sharp division between faith and works, grace and law, New Covenant and Old Covenant. This is certainly not without justification. The New Testament writings burst with joy and expectation that all things are being made new with the coming … Continue reading Commandments of Grace
A few weeks ago, after a very poor sleep, I got up one morning with unhappy thoughts racing through my head. I got ready for work with my usual array of podcasts, though I wasn’t really able to hear any of them. Finally, as I was walking down the hill which forms the first part … Continue reading Silence
One of the books that has had a disproportionate impact on me has been Ben Okri’s delightful myth Astonishing the Gods, which tells the story of a young man’s mystical journey through a enchanted island city. One of the book’s themes is learning what you already know, the idea that we keep on having to … Continue reading Learning and Learning Again
Matthew Root 