All atonement theories get it wrong by substituting beliefs about Jesus for the way (his virtues, values, and practices) of Jesus that he taught us by word and deed.
How simplicity can save us and our world
Based on the Lectionary readings for Year B from the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels
O come, O come Wisdom from on high – Send your wisdom and cast aside the myopic stupidity that comes from thinking only of ourselves, only of our own species, only of our own wellbeing, only of our own country, only of our own religion, only of our own historical moment.
What six hidden women can teach us about Jesus
Who is Jesus to you? What informs and shapes your view of Jesus and his work?
The four gospels all tell a different story with regard to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The facts are all different, but the essence is the same: something divine was present in Jesus.
The Psalms are not fluffy poetry read by a Shakespeare actor in tights and a puffy shirt.
A short closing or sending-out song appropriate for all forms of inclusive worship.
Hymns and Other Worship Materials
William (Bill) Livingstone Wallace is a retired New Zealand Methodist Minister and one of our most prolific contributors.
A Christian Hymn against Christian Nationalism
God abundant, God of wonder, God of every living thing, God of justice and of righteousness, empower us as we sing.
A Liturgical Piece
When all is burned away by violence, fear and greed We tremble in our terror that we’ve lost the things we need.
A pretty, simple Easter Hymn: Love Will Have the Final Laugh
Incorporating the new science, creation spirituality, and Christian teaching
Evolutionary Rituals are ways to show how religion, humanity, and divinity evolve.
Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost do not form three seasons. The Easter season celebrates the three dimensions of the resurrection, ascension, and the sending of the Spirit.
This intercession was written for Holy Trinity Anglican Church Yarram, South Gippsland, Australia.
Tune: St. Christopher 76.86.86.86
Jesus is not my scapegoat / for any wrong I’ve done It isn’t fair to place on him / what he had never done
If we all have a soul, and that soul contains the image of God or God's virtues and values, then our individual deaths are not the end of what is most important about us. It is shared by all.
Not long ago, I "mused" about my new friend at USC, Shane Cole - whom I refer to affectionately as a "digital Mennonite". He's
For all of you grieving the loss of someone you love — whether this loss occurred last week, last year, or decades ago — I hope you find some comfort in these words, too. I hope you have the courage to tell the truth about your loved one: the good, the bad, and the complex. And that you don’t break faith with the full spectrum of your feeling, from mourning to dancing.
Listen below to the Eco-Hymn "Come then, fellow travellers" set to the tune of "Onward, Christian soldiers".
To the tune of Robbie Burns' famous song 'My love is like a red red rose', 'ONLY NOW is an example of eco-lyrics set to famous, beautiful old tunes. Eco-lyrics by Gaia Dance.
These three words sum up progressive Christian theology. They represent a turning point in the evolution of human understanding of Ultimate Reality. The Bible starts with Superman-In-The-Sky and ends with agape – unconditional love - as the identity of the Divine.
Written by John van de Laar © Sacredise Publishing (Sacredise.com)
Tune: Gordon 11 11.11 11
O God, who does love me / And brought me to birth With me through my childhood / You welcomed my mirth I still can remember / When to you I would pray You promised to love me / To never skip a day
O God, let us take in the moment of this day of crucifixion, not remembering it in the context of what came after it, but how it left Jesus’ disciples and followers in tragic sadness and heart-wrenched disillusionment.
The following church service was conducted by George Stuart at Toronto New South Wales in Australia March 2021.
An Easter Journey
A progressive Christian encounter with the Easter story that situates it within the longer story of sacred love and within our lives today.
A solemn Palm Sunday hymn based on the book The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan
Do all the good you can by all the means you can In all the ways you can in all the places you can At all the times you can to all the people you can As long as ever you can (John Wesley)