Rev. Dr.Jeffrey Frantz

In order to begin to grasp the levels of evil and the unending darkness of Trump 2.0, it's important to understand some of the background that explains his behavior.

Inclusivity has always been a core value in progressive Christianity.  We're reminded, for example, of Jesus' practice of open table commensality.  Radically inclusive, this was a core practice of Jesus' ministry.  At his table, everyone was welcome.  As Christians, therefore, we are encouraged to do the same.  It is in this way, as we lift up the common good, that the new covenant in Jesus is served.  

The authentic Paul is the Paul of his "authentic" letters, the letters he actually wrote. While Paul has always been viewed--after Jesus--as the major personality in the shaping of the early Christian Church, at the same time, he has been widely criticized--mostly for what people assume to be his views on women, slavery, and hierarchy in the church-- based on letters Paul did not write. Paul's detractors have also accused him of distorting the message of Jesus with their lofty teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and with Jesus' personal commitment to social justice. One of the theses of this book is that, in fact, Paul and Jesus have much in common. Indeed, more than distorting the message of Jesus, Paul's teachings appear to complement Jesus' message. Having said this, it is the author's thesis that Paul has been largely misunderstood and is deserving of a fresh hearing. Simply put, he deserves to be understood and evaluated based on the letters he actually wrote and distinctly not on letters attributed to him but which he did not write.

In the ongoing drumbeat of this "era of Trump," as Christians and as "we the people," we need to remind ourselves--again and again--how "we're all in this life together."  Always, there is more that unites us than divides us.  Trump has a lot invested in us not believing this.

Biden's stature as a patriot and a statesman blew off the charts.  While pressure to step down has been building since his disastrous debate performance on June 27th, it is still most unusual for someone to walk away from what is generally regarded as the most powerful position in the world.

As panic settled in across the country, we found ourselves mired in a fog of confusion bordering on despair.  Indeed, the shock of Biden's debate stumble ignited an over-reaction on multiple fronts.

Whispering Ethics nudges us to the spiritual high ground in the hope we will do the right thing as we seek to listen to the music of God's goodness and love as they sing in our awareness and conscience.     

Let's assume that a chance for peace still exists on the other side of the current Israeli/ Hamas war.  By no means a sure thing, but we have to hope. 

As the persona of Donald Trump continues to dominate our public lives, increasingly, we have become aware of the cult of personality that has risen up in his shadow.  To be sure, it has evolved over time, but its existence as a cult cannot be denied. 

  The luminous web.  What quantum physics suggests is that everything in life--molecules, particles, and sub-atomic particles--is inter-connected.  We are all caught up

The context for this article is the proposed new curriculum for the instruction of students on African American history.  Outrage over the proposal is mounting every day. 

As a nation, we must move toward a place where the ethics of consequences weigh more heavily in our mind, heart, and spirit.  In an ethics of consequences, the rightness and wrongness of our choices matter.  Morality matters. 

  The Easter experience is about the birth of a new consciousness.  It is a consciousness that burst upon the followers of Jesus

I want to share some reflections on process thought, known as process theology when applied to God and religion.

I cannot tell you how furious I am with the politicians in our country, in both chambers (mostly Republicans), who stubbornly (thinking only of themselves) refuse to enact significant gun reform legislation. 

As Christianity continues in search of a reformation adequate to our modern experience, it is amazing--through it all--how we continue to be fascinated by Jesus.

In these post-election days, there have been no reports of the violence many had forecast.  Certainly, this is most encouraging.  There is no place for violence in a civil society. 

Rather than embrace people of color and celebrate our racial and cultural diversity, regrettably, large numbers of white people are pursuing another path.  Thus, the recent rise in anti-democratic fervor and its serious threat to our democracy. 

Suffering love is the pinnacle value of Christianity.  It is rooted in the suffering of Jesus on the cross--a reality we can never fully fathom: the aching loneliness, the wrenching pain, the sense of total abandonment. 

Since the birth of self-consciousness (some 250,000 years ago), human beings have been part of an ongoing process of imagining and creating new conceptions of God.  In a very real sense, it is natural to our human situation. 

Traditionally, in our nation, when an election is over, we assume people will accept the results, even if they are not to their own liking. We do not have a history of fraudulent elections. However, regrettably, we are now at a time in our history where, in many states, if a democrat wins an election, republicans are going to claim “fraud.”

In John 8, Jesus observes that when you know the truth, "the truth will make you free."  In the Bible, truth-telling is an important matter.  Indeed, the commandment truth of the ninth commandment spells this out for us: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor".

Like Jesus, Paul was a radical egalitarian.  He was also, it turns out, a first century feminist.  In all the churches he helped found and nurture, he insisted on gender equality. 

For Paul, baptism is the pre-condition for equality.  Simply put, when we are baptized into Christ, there is no inequality.  This is true for all relationships, both inside and outside the assembly.  For Paul, this was a non-negotiable affirmation that he expected his churches to adhere to.