Category Archives: A life of faith

There is no Starbucks in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Sigh.

Posted on July 2, 2018 by hessd

Bette and I went to see Won’t You Be My Neighbor yesterday, as good a way to begin a July as I could think of.  I knew I needed to see it, but I was hesitant, too, because Mr. Rogers’ … Continue reading →

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The Church and Reconciliation

Posted on June 11, 2018 by hessd

I have just read a report by Ian Lovett, written for the Wall Street Journal in May 2018.  The subtitle of the report runs like this: “A push toward activism among liberal Christian denominations is reshaping traditional worship and splitting … Continue reading →

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All the “Yes” you will ever need

Posted on June 5, 2018 by hessd

I have been thinking this year about the Resurrection.  There is no way to avoid it, really, because at the First Presbyterian Church of Portland, Oregon (hereafter, “my church”) Easter is not a “day,” it is a “season.”  So on … Continue reading →

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The Episcopal Ghost from Hell

Posted on May 19, 2018 by hessd

I have been a fan of C. S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce for a long time. I have appreciated it the way a reader of fiction appreciates, and since I have taught courses using it as a text, I have … Continue reading →

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Pentecost, 2018

Posted on May 15, 2018 by hessd

I’ve had the basics of an essay of Pentecost in mind for awhile now. And next Sunday is it, so I am going to try to pull a set of analogies together for you. These analogies are emotional access points … Continue reading →

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All-wheel Drive

Posted on May 9, 2018 by hessd

As I get older, I think of all-wheel drive (AWD) as increasingly important to me. [1] And I’m not thinking about driving. I am thinking about how best to live my life. When I wrote about this before, I imagined … Continue reading →

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Karl Barth and Ergophobia

Posted on May 7, 2018 by hessd

I want to think today about ergophobia. [1] I mean by this term not the familiar “fear of work,” (illustrated by the man hiding under the desk, below) but more a “fear of works righteousness.” The mainstay of Christian theology … Continue reading →

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The Disadvantages of Hell

Posted on April 23, 2018 by hessd

However you think of Hell, it is mostly not a good place to be. Whether it is a fiery final abode, as in some cases, or a shadowy realm of the once-living, as in others, or as in C. S. … Continue reading →

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“Resurrection Appearances”

Posted on April 1, 2018 by hessd

Two quick things. Yes, this is Easter Sunday. [1] No, this isn’t about the resurrection appearances of Jesus, except, perhaps, analogically. This is about the movie, Michael, and John Travolta plays the reappearing angel, Michael. I’ve written about this movie … Continue reading →

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Reading a gospel like a newspaper

Posted on March 30, 2018 by hessd

I’ve been trying for many years now to give up a bad habit. It’s hard. I read the gospels as if they were newspaper accounts. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to. Do you suppose there is a 12-step program for me? … Continue reading →

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