by Stephen Phelps | Mar 4, 2012 | America, criminal justice, democracy, Lent, mass incarceratiom, race, racism, sermon 2012, social justice, suffering
Don’t you sometimes feel that religion, the way we do it, is no match for the way the world does wrong? Every day in this city, police stop and frisk–violate–two thousand mostly black and brown men doing nothing wrong–and what has church to say to that sorrow? A few weeks ago, an eighteen year old Bronx boy was shot and killed by a policeman in the bathroom of his own home. He was unarmed, scared, dumping something in the toilet bowl. What is old time religion for that boy, that family, for any citizen whose heart cries out at the dawning of another day of evil?
by Stephen Phelps | Feb 22, 2012 | freedom, Lent, sermon 2012, spiritual practice, suffering
(no audio of this work is available) Download PDF from the Faith in the Future series Since a story is being told at some length, one may wish to read this series from the first, dated Feb 12, 2012, A Love Supreme Meditation for Ash Wednesday, 2012 Job 2: 11-13;...
by Stephen Phelps | Feb 19, 2012 | interpretation, sermon 2012, suffering
Some Christians believe that after death, they, like all who die, will be subject to the judgment of God. Some do not. Some Christians believe that by suffering a cruel punishment which ought to be visited on all humans for their sins, Jesus saves Christians from hell. Some do not believe the crucifixion works like that at all. . . I do not recommend any of these positions. In the n name of Christ Jesus, I recommend the book of Job to help us feel the depth of our own calling.
by Stephen Phelps | Feb 12, 2012 | race, racism, sermon 2012, suffering, trial
or many Sundays to come, we are going to tune our hearts to hear through the book of Job a word of promise and power for the church of God, for this church, and for any people bereft of what belongs to them; any people kept from sharing in what is good by powers that bind them. When we are done, you will never forget God’s word to you through Job.
by Stephen Phelps | Feb 5, 2012 | freedom, race, racism, sermon 2012
“There is a place in your soul that neither time, nor space, nor no created thing can touch” (Meister Eckhart). There is a part of you you do not need to put behind a hard shell–a part of you that is not wounded and cannot be harmed; a part of you that can love, no matter what happens.
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