I admit it. I’ve overlooked Rebekah (wife to Isaac and mother to Jacob and Esau) like an apple on the kitchen counter that sits there day after day; I reach for dark chocolate instead. Yet she is one of the most important women in the Bible. Here is why: Without her actions, through which she suffered great loss, the story of...
Read MoreRead MoreLots of stories in the Bible are beautiful and easy to read. This is not one of them. Yet it is because of stories like these that I believe in the Bible as God’s word and a living, breathing document with stories of real people. Genesis 19 is not something one would make up. Strike #1 Lot, as you may remember, is...
Read MoreRead MoreOne of the most overlooked people in Scripture, Hagar (Gn 16:8,13; 21:16 ) has an unusual and heart-wrenching story, one that should lie at the heart of the Christian tradition — but unfortunately, does not. She’s oppressed; she’s poor; she and her son are near death in the wilderness, and she is saved by God, given new life. She’s...
Read MoreRead MoreIn some ways, Sarah is brutal. She’s old, cranky, pushy and domineering. She’s 65 when she leaves home with Abraham to go to God-only-knows (really). She tramps through deserts and mountains and other wild places with only the promise that God will provide children to Abraham, as many as there are stars in the sky. But year after year, no...
Read MoreRead MoreNote: Eve is this week’s highlighted woman in She Speaks: The 2012 Bible Women Project. For Eve’s specific words, click here. Why does Eve matter? Unlike many people, I’m seeing a compelling woman here. I’m not seeing the evil woman portrayed throughout history as the one who sent the human race on a downward spiral. I’m not seeing deception. She knew...
Read MoreRead MoreBaby Jesus is gone, stolen last night out of our front yard. No Jesus. No manger. The space in front of his parents’ feet is empty, shockingly empty. We bought what we affectionately call “the holy plastic family” the first Christmas we were married, some 22 years ago. Jesus and his parents and the wise men traveled with us from...
Read MoreRead MoreThe death of a child makes one sick. Literally. There is no good way to explain such an event; no way to justify it; no way to make it not-so-bad. Whether accident or disease, suicide or murder, there is no making it right. Here in Minneapolis over Christmas, a three-year old was killed while walking up the stairs in his...
Read MoreRead More"The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight." As part of the classic hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” this little verse will be sung by millions of Christians during the Christmas season. But the words unfortunately mean little when swallowed by fierce attention to shopping, wrapping, and sweating over dozens, if...
Read MoreRead MoreWork at the parish, Trinity Excelsior, is done. It was a great eighteen months of interim work. The new rector arrives on Monday. Finally, there will be more time to write. I’ve been asked to give the keynote address at Triennial — the once-every-three-years meeting — of the national Episcopal Church Women at General Convention in Indianapolis next summer. Their theme...
Read MoreRead MoreI’ve been away from this blog a bit. No illness, just working overtime in the parish. Parish life is great. But it is time consuming and draining — in a good way. At any rate, look for a blog here two times a week from now on out. We’ll consider a number of Bible women, “good” and “bad,” and figure...
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