The Practical Parson

 As many Anglicans and conservative Christians have seen in the past couple of weeks, there is a cognitive dissonance between what is correct, and what is personally acceptable; summed up in the ongoing case of Rev. Calvin Robinson.   As I have touched on previously in Rev. Robinson's case, the situation of what transpired was centered entirely around his determined trolling of leftist, liberal ideologues, and their mistaken notions that everyone who thinks other than what they think is a Nazi/ fascist.  While Robinson's actions in and of themselves hold no true transgression against sense or a desire for conversation; they do transgress one of the most important duties of any ordained cleric: which is to defend the church against those who would destroy it, and to protect the people of God entrusted to our care.  While Robinson's actions have had the desired outcome he wished for in the secular scene (inspiring conversation, to some extent); they have had a neg...

Recently, the new president of the United States attended a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.  The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the District of Columbia decided a service of prayer was as good a time as any to public berate the new president for what she perceives to be his shortcomings on matters of social justice she clings to.  While it is certainly within her right to promote whatever message she seems appropriate, given that the current state of the Episcopal church seems less based on faith and more on social order or disorder; It is entirely fascinating to me that a woman who encouraged and promoted physical violence and destruction for the summer of 2020, denied the resurrection of Christ during her Easter sermon, and actively promotes anti-Semitic and anti-Christian ideals- should be the one to presume to lecture anyone about morality from a supposedly Christian position.   Is it not ironic that those who demand "mercy", are the leas...

 I recently had an exchange with a gentleman who was curious about the term "Christian Nationalism", and why it was such a big talking point in the US at the present time.  I explained that, in short; Christian Nationalism's proper definition is a movement to promote Christian ideals as superior or supreme; which does not differentiate in practice from other religions that are likewise bound to the same practices (i.e. Islam, Judaism, etc.).   In the past decade (or so) however, the self-professed progressives in society have used the term "Christian Nationalism" as a brand and a cudgel; for any conservative or evangelical Christian person or group that they seem as unacceptable to their progressive wish for society.  Any time a person holds to a traditional view or interpretation of anything to do with faith, morality, law, or order; they are branded "Christian Nationalist", and exiled to peripheries of society.  The term itself holds no great threat ...

 So the General Conference of the United Methodist Church decided this past week, that they would lift the church's ban on openly gay clergy, broaden the church's definition on marriage, and extend to deacons the right to baptize and consecrate the elements of Communion.  Quite the few days they had, no?   While the traditionalist world is loosing its collective mind over the 'gay clergy' matter, they overlook simple facts that make the situation worse than it truly seems.  There have always been gay clergy in every church, and there always will be; because it is not something that people simply, actively choose for themselves.  No, what is worse is what is done WITH who and what one may be in this life.  Rather than simply expressing "we are clergy and gay" and going back to worshiping the Lord in the traditions handed to them; the UMC has decided that it needs to change everything in order to make a pronounced statement about their acceptance of gay ...

 I do not wish to brag, but the story made me smile- I had lunch with God today, I hadn’t seen him in a while. I was shopping out in town, and it didn’t cross my mind, I looked over to one side, and saw him in a bind. He’d been riding his bike all morning, and he was tired and hungry, So I sat down beside him, and asked “will you share lunch with me?” He smiled and said yes, so I brought out the food, Sandwiches and bottled drinks; simple, but it tasted good. We talked about the town, where we had both grown up; While busy shoppers, christians some, passed by with noses up. We sat and spoke a while about the world and people in it, While sharing food, which simple though, was more than most would give him. We finished lunch and parted ways, I bade him “God be with you”, But while I sat and shared my lunch, it was me God had been with too. Matthew 25:34-40

  In just under a month, Christians will gather in crowded, candlelit churches on Christmas Eve to celebrate the great feast of our Savior's birth.  Recently, some clergy friends of mine have directed me to an interesting little thing that the Episcopal Church's National Cathedral in DC has decided to do for Christmas Eve this year.   Are they going to bring in the homeless so that they have a warm place to sleep that night?  No. Are they going to actually preach the Christ whom they are obliged to by the book of common prayer?  No. Are they going to charge people to attend Christmas Eve Mass and receive Christ?  YES! You heard that correctly, the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; has decided to CHARGE people to attend a worship service on Christmas Eve.  Now some will defend this move as an attempt to control crowd levels or such; but that goes against the very essence of the Christian faith and the nature of cathedrals themselves.  The ...

  In light of the current President's administration and their ongoing insistence that sanctuary lamps in chapels of Catholic Hospitals are a "Fire danger" and need to be extinguished and removed; I have designed and hereby Christen the new Resistance Flag for Sacramental Churches:  

Over the past 4 or 5 years, I have sat back from my chapel porch and watched the world go by; as it is wont to do.  I have watched flowers grow, the trees in my garden sprout new branches and fruit, the grapes in my small vineyard grow and produce their first batch of wine.  I have also watched other things around the churchyard which have needed intervention- weeds which needed pulling, peeling paint which needed re-touching, stains on chapel carpeting which needed cleaning.  There has been much that has gone on here, though most of it only noticeable to my own eye as the one who is caretaker of it.  In this, I feel a connection with the eternal Father: who watches over the whole of creation like the great gardener and caretaker of the universe which He is, and I begin to understand the problems of this world through an empathetic place with our Lord. Our world today demands ever-increasing progress: Progress for "rights", progress for technology, progress for moral...

  Today we celebrate the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, following the 40 days we have walked alongside him in the desert of Lent towards the cross of Calvary. Easter is a joyous time; filled with light, happiness, family, friends, and flowers... absolutely EVERYWHERE you can imagine.  Yes, the Joy of Easter is palpable to all who even simply pass by a church today.  However, what do we make of it?   So many people in our churches these days focus all of their energy on the end holiday of the period, and little to none on the time leading up to it; much like as with Advent and Christmas.  Yes, we want the joy, chocolate, and flowers of Easter; but so many don't want the rest of the story that makes today possible- Suffering, Crucifixion, and Death.  This is endemic of our society, which has grown so dependent on "safe spaces" and coddling; to the point where we can't handle any form of negativity or sadness, only ever focusing on happy things th...

  For the past 2 weeks, an allegedly spontaneous and ongoing revival has been taking place in the chapel on Asbury University campus in Wilmore, Kentucky.  Many evangelical and conservative Christians applaud this event as a demonstration of the Holy Spirit moving in our time, while others question the intent of the entire event. To say the least, this revival is certainly a conundrum. As one who grew up and was sent to an (allegedly) evangelical Christian school, I myself am more than aware of the theatrical nature of evangelical revivals; having witnessed a number of them myself during my school days.  Such revivals are a time filled with preaching, singing, and heightened emotional states that encourage people to act out, supposedly in love of God.   However wonderful and spiritual it may seem though; I have also borne witness to the unfortunate reality of what happens when the singing is over, and life returns to its normal pace.   Those who hurl t...

 Many years ago, when I was but a young child, my parents decided to send myself and my older brother to a private, christian school in North Carolina.  They were promised an academically inclined, superb learning environment for their children, one in which college preparation was well in hand and all students were equipped to succeed after graduation.   What they got, was sadly none of what they were promised.  Instead, their children were mistreated, bullied, abused, and even suffered academically because of that hellhole's agenda.  You see, the agenda of that particular so-called school was not so much to educate young minds for the future, as much as it was to condition our minds into their perfect, ideal, cookie-cutter little evangelical christian soldiers; who would never oppose them and always do whatever they say.   From the time I was in the seventh grade, until halfway through my junior year; I was brutally bullied, abused, and merciles...