All of us who knew Billy (William J.) Abraham (1947-2021) were stunned last week when we received the grievous news of his death. Since then, I have read several moving remembrances. Some of Billy’s seminary and graduate students have written
Boundary Questions Refuse to Go Away
Imagine that you just moved into a neighborhood and, as you get acquainted with one of your new neighbors, you discover that the two of you share a commitment to community engagement. The new acquaintance invites you to join a
An Open Letter to Adam Hamilton and Other Centrists: Where Lie the Boundaries?
Dear Adam (Hamilton) and Other Centrists, When I wrote, recently, about my conviction that the current United Methodist Church needs to divide, I don’t think I made sufficiently clear that I recognize this admission as a sign of failure. Sometimes,
Church-Like Schools?
As a companion to the previous installment, in this post I want to advocate for a thesis that long ago fell into disfavor. I’ll put it in its simplest and most straightforward form and then explain. Church-related colleges and universities
The Transformation of Congregational Culture
In Hosea 2, we find a beautiful promise of restoration immediately after God’s judgment against Israel’s infamous infidelity. The language in the promise is that of the New Creation. “On that day” God will reclaim the adulteress Israel. The Lord