Pilgrims' Home

Last week, Lindsay was away teaching Bible Study, and  since I was at home with the sun shining at 64 degrees, Micah, Maddie and I went to the beach for an evening stroll. It was truly a wonderful time. Once we finally wrestled down the beach stairs, removed our shoes (and Micah removed his pants), we began our leisurely stroll. It was more leisurely for some than others. Micah was not much for walking in a straight line. He would tack across the beach finding the largest rocks to throw in the water. Maddie had to ride on my shoulders in order to stay out of the water. We walked along the shore for a good hour, which only equaled the length of a football field or so (sailing was never an efficient travel method). On the way back to the beach entrance we saw two people (quite a distance ahead), playing on the beach. I asked Micah, "who are they?", and his quick response was simply, "are those our friends? Our new Friends?" I wasn't sure, but he was. So the ...

David Brooks of the NYT posted an opinion piece that challeneges the current viewpoint that the internet has created an ideological problem as users can subscribe only to content that fits their views. The ideology rhetoric often comes from the loss of the few big networks and media giants (which I think was a roadblock to Democratic space, itself). The new internet research shows that the network principles inherent to the tech spaces actually push users into "foreign" territory and require interaction with diverse and multiple ideologies. Brooks' summarizes the argument well, and I look forward to encountering the earlier studies (the author, Sunstein works in the Obama Administration but was formerly at the University of Chicago) and the current research (authored by Matthew Gentzkow and Jesse M. Shapiro, two Business professors at the University of Chicago). I mostly look forward to comparing these studies with the theory and practices of Benkler's book (menti...

I am finding time to read now that the Lent and Holy Week season has passed. I have read the following three books in part (the Ward book in entirety), and I think they are worth reading for ecclesial purposes, but even if "church" isn't your concern, these texts have substantial implications for larger public or civil society questions.

So it’s decided in my head. I have been trying to write daily, but never am able to fulfill my desire. Until now. I have decided (in the lyrics of the great evangelist, Amy Grant) to begin each day with the Divine Hours and writing. I will use the format of a blog, and probably no one will read it but a few friends who graciously choose to humor me. Regardless, I will most often respond to other writers, biblical texts, or even possibly commentary on my time in Tickle’s Divine Hours. Overtime, I hope to learn to make links to other topics I am quoting, but for now I will make reference and move on…the technology of a blog can all too easily get in the way of actually writing. I am choosing to do this for three reasons. I enjoy writing. Writing is a centering activity. In a world that consumes content (the iPad, for which I lust, is a perfect example of how consuming content is primary over creating it). I enjoy writing. When I take the time to outline, draft, edit, and “publish”...

Jason Byassee penned a helpful conversation on the place of denominations. My friend, Adam Phillips , sent Byassee’s comments to me, and his pen is quite appealing and his voice winsome. He argues clearly that mainline denominations (I can assume he was intentional in not naming all denominations) are withering, but they are neither lost nor unnecessary, namely on familial claims. He rehearses a powerful story of one man, in one denomination, doing work of relief for congregations around the world. The claim that denominations are collective agents for common work is both needed and encouraging. Denominations, as crippled and bureaucratic as they are, have a collective identity to hold diverse congregations together. When worship in America is a segregated hour, denomination’s have collective power to bring our racism, classicism, and myopia into a room and break out our prejudices….denominations are social networks of wealth (see The Wealth of Networks by Benkler ). Sidenote: The Ev...