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ruminations, fulminations, and cogitations on the spiritual life

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God

United Methodists’ God Problem

In John Wesley’s first of his thirteen sermons on The Sermon on the Mount, he states plainly, “Let us observe who it is (emphasis added) that is here speaking, that we may ‘take heed how we hear.’ Who I think

Stephen Rankin November 16, 2012November 16, 2012 Doctrine/Theology, General, Ministry, Religion, The Church, United Methodism No Comments Read more

What Greensburg Teaches Me

In this virtual world that is the Internet, physical location often seems increasingly irrelevant.  Today, however, on this day after Thanksgiving, 2011, my physical location is significant.  It offers a poignant context for my thoughts. I’m sitting in a coffee shop,

Stephen Rankin November 25, 2011 Christian Life, Ministry, United Methodism No Comments Read more

A Tragic Failure in Higher Education

I recently had an encounter with a student who expressed irritation with “judgmental Christians” who tell people they are going to hell.  This attitude is  common on college campuses.  Therefore, our brief conversation nicely illustrates how we are largely failing to grow

Stephen Rankin November 14, 2011 Emerging adults, Higher and Theological Education 7 Comments Read more

New Job, New Challenges

Among the requisite qualities for my new job as SMU Chaplain, I find these three: (1) passionate commitment to Christ, (2) strong United Methodist identity and (3) openness to people of other faiths.  The third point is particularly important because

Stephen Rankin June 12, 2009 Doctrine/Theology, General, Ministry, Religion, The Church, United Methodism 6 Comments Read more

Everybody Has to Be Someplace, Or Why I Don’t Buy the Interfaith Perspective

Are Christians with an “exclusivist” view (a term used for the idea that Jesus is the only way to salvation) incapable of interfaith dialogue? I heard exactly this claim a few days ago at a conference of college professors and

Stephen Rankin March 16, 2009 Christian Life, Doctrine/Theology, General, Higher and Theological Education, Religion 7 Comments Read more

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Meet Steve

I serve as Executive Director of the Spiritual Maturity Project, a ministry some of us have recently started.  For 25 years I worked in higher education as a professor and chaplain and before that as a pastor.  I love to help people grapple with big and basic questions to grow into real ,grown-up Christian discipleship.

I ruminate on all manner of theological, biblical, historical, and cultural topics. I believe followers of Jesus need to be more like members of Issachar’s tribe, able to read the times. Read more

 

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