• Wanderlog

    Forgiving the Reformation

    A lot of people seem to think that seminary is where you get all the answers. They’re wrong. Well, either that or I just don’t go to one of “those” seminaries. My experience has been that instead of receiving answers to my questions, I’ve been stripped of many of the answers I thought I had and been given more questions in return. Now I don’t say this to complain; I happen to think that’s the way it should be. But that doesn’t mean every day is a party either. One of the ways I’ve been challenged in seminary was the place of tradition in my theology. Specifically it was the…

  • Wanderlog

    Gifts Like White Elephants

    We think of Christmas as a time to give gifts, and the marketplace rejoices. I admit I have been too hard on them in recent years; they are just responding to us, same as they always have, same as they always will. Instead, let us turn our gaze inward, fellow gift-givers. Have you ever noticed how much we give and how little we sacrifice? We don’t just give gifts, we trade them. And we feel terrible if we get something and don’t reciprocate—even worse if we give something and get nothing in return. Granted, we will gladly give to someone who has legitimate need without expecting something in return. Children…