theology Archives - Page 3 of 4

Thirty Days, Thirty Books

The guiding question for my reading is this: how will our spirituality (and our churches) need to change in order to survive the unprecedented challenges ahead, particularly the climate crisis? Here’s what I’m learning so far.

Debra RienstraJanuary 25, 2020

nature spirituality theology

Learning about Gratitude from the Onondaga

I realize we’re planning way ahead here, but if you happen to be in charge of an Easter Vigil service next spring, you should definitely order a big beeswax candle for the occasion. Why? Because in the ancient liturgical prayer for Easter Eve, called the…

Debra RienstraJuly 20, 2019

climate change theology

Does Theology Make Us Passive on Climate Change?

“Does ‘image of God’ make us lazy?” I jotted this in my notebook earlier this week, between phrases like “hinge point in history” and “geophysical tipping point.” I was listening to a lecture by Kathleen Dean Moore, a moral philosopher, nature writer, and environmental activist.…

Debra RienstraMarch 16, 2019

college life spirituality theology

Please Stop: Calvin Seniors on Vocation

Next time you encounter a college senior, you will inevitably be tempted to ask, “So what’s your major?” and “So what are you going to do with that?” Before you utter those words, please stop. Be gentle. Think of something else to ask. Why? Because…

Debra RienstraMarch 2, 2019

spirituality theology

Dwelling: A Scriptural Survey

Some quick work with online tools surprised me: the Bible is full of dwelling, from the Pentateuch to Revelation—at least in English. It turns out that dwell is one of those rich, Anglo-Saxon words that composts together several related concepts into a fertile loam.

Debra RienstraOctober 13, 2018

cultural commentary theology

True Forms

Part of my fascination, I suppose, is that we are talking about a face here. The article nicely rehearses the significance of the human face while visually explicating the devastating destruction of Katie’s. What’s compelling here is the idea of coming face-to-face, so to speak,…

Debra RienstraSeptember 1, 2018

spirituality theology

Supersubstantial Bread

Now that I know about this tradition of interpretation, though, I would like to recover it for us children of the Reformation. I mean, why choose? The term epiousios is multivalent and spacious, wide enough to embrace both meanings, maybe made up precisely to do…

Debra RienstraJanuary 20, 2018

arts review theology

Ecumenism, Art, and Hope

One finds good news where one can these days, and here comes some good news for the church: the work of ecumenism thrives in the field of theological aesthetics. Granted, we’ve had to float into a rarefied atmosphere to recover this news, but what’s going…

Debra RienstraOctober 7, 2017

cultural commentary politics theology

I Never Was An Evangelical, and I Never Want to Be

In any case, Evangelicals of the contemporary American variety have always felt to me like the cousins my family visits only once a year for a day or two on out-of-state road trips. We are related, of course, but when we get together our differences…

Debra RienstraSeptember 23, 2017

arts review spirituality theology

Mystery in the Minster

Ron and I happened upon a remarkable endeavor while visiting York last month, and I’m so glad we spotted the posters, plunked down our pounds sterling, and settled ourselves into tight seats on scaffolded risers for a three-and-a-half hour spectacle: the York Minster Mystery Plays.

Debra RienstraJuly 8, 2016

theology

Thirty Days, Thirty Books

Learning about Gratitude from the Onondaga

Does Theology Make Us Passive on Climate Change?

Please Stop: Calvin Seniors on Vocation

Dwelling: A Scriptural Survey

True Forms

Supersubstantial Bread

Ecumenism, Art, and Hope

I Never Was An Evangelical, and I Never Want to Be

Mystery in the Minster

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