Purkiser, Exploring Christian Holiness: The Biblical Foundations

I read this book as a part of my masters class on holiness theology. Purkiser died 15 years ago, so I am not able to write him a letter to ask about some of his decisions in this book. Too bad. He was a pastor in the holiness movement and his publsher [...]

Holy Rule Chapter 2 -what kind of man the abbot ought to be

Chapter two is much longer and much more stern as it deals with leaderhsip principles for the abbot of the monastary. He is compared to Jesus within the community and told that his life, actions and teachings must be holy and in accordance with that representation.
This chapter is so essential for youth ministers for [...]

Coupland, JPod

I treated myself to a read of Douglas Coupland’s Jpod over the weekend. A really great book. You can find the details of the plot online, but the great thing for me was watching the way he moved the morality of the characters around. It is a view of life without a [...]

Collins, Christian Counselling

I had to read this book for my masters counselling class. It is 595 pages with 100 pages of notes tacked on the end. It is so thorough! Not an easy read, nor a fun read, but such a good tool to have and there was much learning found within its pages. [...]

Holy Rule Chapter 1 – of the kinds or the life of monks

The first rule outlines four different types of monks.
1. Cenobites – those who live under a rule and an Abbot.2. Hermits – those who have developed exceptionally well in the Cenobite stages and are ready for individual life of prayer and battle against the devil.3. Sarabites – no rule, no Abbot. [...]

Jack Bauer Office Tips

Only 4 hours in and they blow a nuke in north L.A.!! With apologies to people that I mocked in the past I am now a 24 fan…

Youth Ministry in the Emerging Church

There are some who believe that youth ministry will cease to exist in the emerging church. What that statement reveals is a belief that the current expression of youth ministry is the only possible expression. Youths will continue to be ministered to and they will continue to be agents of God’s kingdom [...]

I forget because I am a genius!

Participants in a new study, all more than 70 years old, were tested up to four times between 1993 and 2000 on their ability to recall 10 common words read aloud to them. Those with more education were found to have a steeper decline over the years in their ability to remember the list, according [...]

Terrorism and Justice

It seems that the Pentagon has set up rules for the trials of suspected terrorists. Only the rules are kinda surprising.  For a long time I have had a problem with holding suspected terrorists (a la Gauntanamo Bay – which I polly can’t spell) without a trial. To me, it seems to undermine foundational principles [...]

Phenomenological Trinitarian Reality

A historically orthodox Christian belief is that God has always been and always will (Psalm 90:2, John 8:58). There is no beginning or ending to God. Our ontology, however, must be limited to our concious observations of God. A modern phenomological approach to God demands an explanation of the observable existence of [...]