Category: Bible

Art, Bible, Christianity, Faith, Holy Week, Hope, Jesus, Pilgrimage, Spirituality, spirituality, Suffering, Theology, Uncategorized

Pilgrims on the Rooftop

Gary Furr

In 2010, I was part of a group of ministers who went to Israel together on pilgrimage.  We were all Protestants—Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, UCC, and Episcopalians, along with one Mennonite for good measure. We were used to going on trips as church leaders, but this was different. We went as pilgrims. Pilgrimage is not a familiar term for Protestants and surely not Baptists. A friend of mine once said our spirituality is “extraverted, programmatic, and evangelistic.” Being silent, mystical contemplation and words like “pilgrimage” smacked of Catholicism, and when I was growing up that was negative, even if I didn’t … Continue reading Pilgrims on the Rooftop

America, Bible, Christianity, Citizenship, Constitution, Culture, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics, Evangelicalism, Jesus, Leadership, Politics, spirituality, Story4 Comments

On Stupidity

Gary Furr

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian and pastor, wrote shortly before his death at the hand of the Nazis,  “Upon closer observation, it becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it of a political or of a religious nature, infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. It would even seem that this is virtually a sociological-psychological law. The power of the one needs the stupidity of the other. The process at work here is not that particular human capacities, for instance, the intellect, suddenly atrophy or fail. Instead, it seems that under the overwhelming impact … Continue reading On Stupidity

Bible, Covid-19, Evangelicalism, Faith, fear, God, Jesus, pandemic, Sickness and Health, Theology, Theology and Life, Vaccines3 Comments

Faith and Vaccines

Gary Furr

This week I remembered a conversation I had with a woman many years ago. I had gone to teach a series on the family at a friend’s church in another state. She came up to me after the presentation and asked to talk with me. Of course, I said. “What’s on your mind?” I asked. “Well, I feel like such a failure in my faith. I suffer from depression. It was affecting my marriage, my children, and most of all, my faith in God.” “Why did you feel it made you a failure?” I inquired. “I’ve tried everything. I prayed … Continue reading Faith and Vaccines

apocalyptic, Bible, Christianity, Covid-19, creation, Faith, fear, Fundamentalism, Hope, pandemic, Revelation, Book of, Sickness and Health, Suffering, Uncategorized

Diligence not Goosebumps

Gary Furr

There is plenty of good work to do—beyond the ministries of the church itself, we have a world of opportunity.  Children and schools are important to all of us. Hungry children need food. Frightened children need reassurance, even if it’s not certain out there. Lonely children need connection. The technology that was supposed to make life easy now is only our connection to get things done.  Everything is a lot harder. Here’s the problem now: the pandemic is going to stretch well into next year, from everything I can read. No vaccine is coming next week. I can see businesses … Continue reading Diligence not Goosebumps