2018

March 2018 - An opportunity for your church

At a recent presentation in Alaska about the United Methodist Church’s Commission on a Way Forward, UMC Bishop Elaine Stanovsky wisely pointed out that every generation must creatively appropriate the wisdom of the past.  It is not our job, Bishop Stanovsky reminded her hearers, to merely receive uncritically the church’s teachings, scriptures, and traditions. instead, she observed, today’s Christians are called to take all of that wisdom and strive to find God’s fresh expressions of it.

April 2018 - How can we reduce poverty?

Three books I’ve read recently have raised questions in my mind about charity and about how best to help people who are poor.  I can see several sides of the issues these books raise, so reading them didn’t give me any answers that I felt sure were correct.  But I feel sure that the issues the books address and the questions they raise are important for all citizens and especially all Christians to consider.

May 2018 - Religion in the news

News about religion seems to be everywhere lately. It’s about church denominations, the U.S. Congress, and Israel.  And much of it is about conflict that seems unresolvable.

December 2018 - A personal update

If you’ve been wondering what’s happened to Connections, it’s because I haven’t published any issues since May 2018.  In this issue I’m explaining why.