Reformed, Hopeful, Always Reforming
(picture of Grand Haven pier at sunset taken by my wife, Erin Bowerman) where do i begin? never felt like we were friends and then religion taught me to hate you: “look at those pagans beneath the constellations demonic stations, only jesus saves you she’s just a bitch with an ironclad grip, fleshy fists she’ll […]
Read More Letter to Mother Nature (Reflection for Earth Day)[Image: The Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dali] Truly I say to you that you will be with me in Paradise Let the scoffers scoff and mockers mock. For you have chosen what is right! Bandits they placed on either side of me But in you I see a child of […]
Read More Last WordsThis song has always haunted me. It is called Devil Boy, performed by Seven May Three, one of the many angst ridden post-grunge bands of the mid 90’s. The song vaguely deals with the loss of a loved one and also with loss of belief in the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of […]
Read More Devil Boy?Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, […]
Read More First Sunday of LentI didn’t grow up with a very strong view of baptism. It’s certainly fair to say it wasn’t a Reformed view of the sacrament that I was raised with. The hodgepodge faith that nurtured me included several different denominations – all with different theological emphases – but all decidedly in a revivalist tradition. Baptism was […]
Read More Baptism“Belhar’s relevance is not confined to Southern Africa. It addresses three key issues of concern to all churches: unity of the church and unity among all people, reconciliation within church and society, and God’s justice.” ~ From The Belhar Confession’s Prologue Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be talking about The Belhar Confession. ************************************************ 1992. That is […]
Read More Belhar Pt I: Prologue and Article 1A poem, a prayer and a passage for Christmas Eve: The pinnacle of Advent expectation and longing ‘I will make you a great nation Endowed with power to bless and curse Through your seed, your only son I’ll bless the families of the earth I’ve passed between the severed parts Of goats and rams, mingled […]
Read More Labor PainsThere has been a lot of talk around here lately at TRB about TULIPS, catechisms, canons and confessions. In fact, all this week Andy, Tim and myself are offering some of our reflections on The Belgic Confession. At least historically these are all topics that Reformed folks take pretty seriously. So I guess we have been […]
Read More Hungering with the Belgic and BonoSusan offered a thoughtful yet playful post on Wednesday, sharing some of her thoughts on the TULIP acronym, focusing specifically on the doctrine of “total depravity.” If you feel so inclined, you can check out the conversation that ensued, including my response to Susan’s post in the comments section. Now skipping ahead to “P” (I’ll save […]
Read More TP TheologyWorld Communion Sunday seems to me a good day to revisit what we mean when we talk about celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. In Reformed communities this has been the subject of a good deal of internal debate. In 1846 John Williamson Nevin published his magnum opus, The Mystical Presence: A vindication of […]
Read More Revivalism, Rationalism or Real Union?