Special Friends of the Blog

Emily and Tim are very special friends; she's a UCC minister I've known for a decade, and he's a Lutheran seminary graduate and all-around genius. They are in Jerusalem for the next year and just finished a dig. They are thoughtful theologians, deeply faithful people, and deserve a wide audience. Please follow their blog here and tell your friends.

Added to the Blogroll

Duke Divinity's Faith and Leadership Blog. I could waste a few days here catching up, but I have too much to do today.

Another Great Blog

Is here, at Dirty Sexy Ministry. I think that my UCC twin would especially enjoy this blog, but I liked it for the running post I read a week or so ago. Kicked my prayer life into a much-needed gear.

Those of you who love to think deeply and ...

....ecumenically about the church must go read Magdalene's Egg. Right now. I thank God that I've discovered Father. He makes me chuckle. He also takes my breath away, as with this line about how one must learn to minister: "you must learn to work with people who share your creed but not your reading of it."

I believe that, at its best, the UCC does try to embody this - though of course (as I noted on Father's blog) we are a non-creedal tradition. But, oh, how eloquently and irenically Father has put it! For we who love liturgy and are serious about making more visible the unity of all of Christ's followers on earth, this is just a kiss of life.

Thank you, Father, for finding your way here, and for helping me find my way to your blog. (I suspect Joelle had a hand in this via her blog, so she gets a hat tip.)

New Friend of the Blog

I found this fellow while perusing a colleague's Facebook page. I find him interesting and provocative, and while I don't always agree with what he writes, I find we're really on the same page most of the time. Isn't that funny how that happens? It's not so much about agreeing on the goals or the vision but differing on how to get there....it's more like we are looking at the same piece of cut glass from different sides, so we prioritize objectives differently. He makes me think, though, and I like that.

Plus, progressive Christians in the South need all the love and support we can give them. (That goes for you, too, Lucky Fresh!) Plus, he's interesting. Go forth and read.

Also, keep on the lookout for another Friend of the blog post, which is coming soon, from a former colleage here in Iowa now embarking on a new adventure in Houston. Houston, we have adventures! (Sorry, RC, couldn't resist!)

Oh, and this is just for fun

Christians who hate the haters who claim to be Christians? Check out this blog! (And, since the title of the blog is wtfwjdbitch, consider yourself warned on the language front.)

h/t Dan Savage