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Beginings
This is only the beginning of what we hope will blossom into something beautiful. Check back soon as seeds are still being planted in the form of healthy and vital conversations.
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What’s In A Name?
In your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15). It is my hope that this blog will be a...
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Cur Deus Homo? And Other Important Questions
“Heather’s Hutch” by Thomas Kinkade Cur Deus Homo In the last post Peter kicked off Holy Week by opening up a fabulous discussion about why Jesus died. I wanted to take it back a step and ask why...
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Kinkade’s Cabin Door or the Potato Eaters Table? (God’s Answer To Our Deepest...
“The Potato Eaters” by Vincent Van Gogh It is Good Friday, a day haunted by the dark shadows of misunderstanding, indifference, betrayal, mockery and the worst sort of treachery humanity can dish out....
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Between the Valley and the Mountaintop
[This is my sermon manuscript from yesterday. I promise I wont make it a habit to share sermons in this space. I just felt compelled to share this particular one in hopes that it may bring a word of...
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Not That There Is Another Gospel, But…
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are...
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Sabbath
If your religious experience has been anything like mine, perhaps you grew up with an image of “Sabbath” like the one this cartoon is poking a little fun at. But the rules I was raised with for...
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Livin’ on a Prayer 2013
I am a baby Gen-Xer. I identify pretty strongly with Rachel Held Evans’ sentiments: “Despite having one foot in Generation X, I tend to identify most strongly with the attitudes and the ethos of the...
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Revivalism, Rationalism or Real Union?
World Communion Sunday seems to me a good day to revisit what we mean when we talk about celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. In Reformed communities this has been the subject of a good...
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TP Theology
Susan offered a thoughtful yet playful post on Wednesday, sharing some of her thoughts on the TULIP acronym, focusing specifically on the doctrine of “total depravity.” If you feel so inclined, you...
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Hungering with the Belgic and Bono
There has been a lot of talk around here lately at TRB about TULIPS, catechisms, canons and confessions. In fact, all this week Andy, Tim and myself are offering some of our reflections on The Belgic...
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Labor Pains
A poem, a prayer and a passage for Christmas Eve: The pinnacle of Advent expectation and longing ‘I will make you a great nation Endowed with power to bless and curse Through your seed, your only son...
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Belhar Pt I: Prologue and Article 1
“Belhar’s relevance is not confined to Southern Africa. It addresses three key issues of concern to all churches: unity of the church and unity among all people, reconciliation within church and...
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Baptism
I didn’t grow up with a very strong view of baptism. It’s certainly fair to say it wasn’t a Reformed view of the sacrament that I was raised with. The hodgepodge faith that nurtured me included several...
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First Sunday of Lent
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you...
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Devil Boy?
This song has always haunted me. It is called Devil Boy, performed by Seven May Three, one of the many angst ridden post-grunge bands of the mid 90’s. The song vaguely deals with the loss of a loved...
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Last Words
[Image: The Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dali] Truly I say to you that you will be with me in Paradise Let the scoffers scoff and mockers mock. For you have chosen what is right!...
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Letter to Mother Nature (Reflection for Earth Day)
(picture of Grand Haven pier at sunset taken by my wife, Erin Bowerman) where do i begin? never felt like we were friends and then religion taught me to hate you: “look at those pagans beneath the...
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Pope Stephen I: Defender of Papal Authority & Proto Reformer
On this day, May 12, in the year 254 Pope Stephen I succeeded Pope Lucius I as the 23rd Bishop of Rome. Stephen (or Stephanus in Latin) was almost certainly Pope Stephen’s birth name. It did not become...
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Together We Stand
We know how it goes. We’ve repeated the story, maybe read about it in (some) church history books. And many of us have probably even seen a young Joseph Fiennes act it out on screen. Martin Luther...
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