Step back a bit and think about it.  Neither you nor I, as believers in law and order, want to see an innocent man put to death.  Let’s put the blame for this miscarriage of justice where it belongs – on people’s belief in God!  Let the people deal with the consequences of their primitive ideas. 

People often think that the Bible is obscure, hard to understand, and irrelevant. But today’s reading from Ephesians seems as fresh and accessible as when it was first written some 2,000 years ago. The passage is straightforward. It is a list of don’ts and do’s, a kind of inventory of spiritual virtues.

You have probably given some thought about what it means to be a Christian, and the concept of conscious evolution probably never occurred to you.  Allow me to explain, and in explaining you might be surprised that I am going to first talk briefly about geology.

In Roger's book Discovering Fire, he doesn't advocate for thoughtless religious syncretism, but he does recognize that our lived experiences often transcend the neat boxes of religious or spiritual categories.

From a theological perspective, politics is the argument about the nature of community, who counts in community, and our moral responsibility for community. It is an old argument. It existed long before Jesus, long before Rome. It runs through the Hebrew scriptures. It shaped ancient societies. These are questions are the heart of human existence, these theological-political questions.

Thomas Jay Oord has been handed charges and faces a trial for being fully LGBTQ+ affirming. This book offers the documents of his defense for that trial. It also features other documents, including his hearing defense.

The great prophet and mystic of the middle ages, Meister Eckhart (1260-1329), devotes an entire treatise to the “Noble” or “Aristocrat” that resides in each of us. Following are some observations he offers on the nobility we carry within us.

Pope Francis sent global shock waves when the news broke that he used the highly offensive f -word "frociaggine," meaning "faggotness ” in Italian.

Thomas Jay Oord advocates for full acceptance of queer people. Consequently, Oord has been charged with teaching doctrines contrary to the Church of the Nazarene.

Looking back at advances since 2004, such as hate crime laws, the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and  DOMA, the legalization of marriage equality, same-sex adoption, and anti-homophobic bullying becoming a national concern, among a few, the LGBTQ+ community has come a long way since the first Pride marches. 

As early Christianity began to grow and spread in Europe, in Rome, (interestingly enough) much of it was coined in Egypt where a lot of the origins of the New Testament are centered.

A key term coined by Tom underlies this and his other books: God is amipotent – love + power - attracting all toward goodness and creativity, and not omnipotent – directing and controlling the cosmos. 

Many of us are introduced to Jesus at a young age, and the version of him we initially encounter is quite often an incomplete version of the historical figure. Over time, many have begun to question those curated snapshots of the Nazarene and have rediscovered Jesus as a man, a mystic, a wisdom teacher, and a blueprint for how to be a better human being, among other things.

Friends of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Brookings, Oregon Update:  Good and Bad News in Two-pronged City Attack on Oregon Church’s Ministries to Poor 

Christian Nationalism presents an existential threat to both Christ’s church and American democracy. Now is the time — before it is too late — to reckon with all the places its pernicious influence arises. On full display in recent elections, Christian Nationalism also exists in sanctuaries where an American flag has been displayed for decades, when we pledge allegiance to one nation “Under God” or when the U.S. is called a Christian nation.

Watch Episode  20 of The Awakened Collective with Rick Gregory as he interviews Special Guest Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines, author of The Great Digital Commission.

When, as an ex-Christian, I became curious about progressive Christianity several years ago, I was thrillingly surprised by what I saw in a church in my town.

The selling of the Bible so recklessly attempts to stain and overshadow the Gospel. It seeks to imagine and promote an unholy alliance that is antithetical to my faith.

Friends of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Brookings, Oregon Update:  Good and Bad News in Two-pronged City Attack on Oregon Church’s Ministries to Poor 

Science and Religion should never be in conflict, as Dr. James, a Ph.D. scientist and Christian mystic, carefully demonstrates. He employs many personal experiences in the science realm and in the Christian realm to show how the two are wonderfully complementary—as long as each remains in their respective places.

Thomas Jay Oord and Tripp Fuller offer an open and relational vision of God. This vision makes sense, fits our experience, and is livable. The open and relational view aligns with our deep intuitions about love and freedom.

The central focus of Jesus’ message was to announce the imminent coming of the kingdom of God. This is what he was sent to do. (Luke 4: 43-44) This kingdom would be on earth for the people of Israel. (Matthew 10: 5-8) Although Jesus gives few details on how this kingdom would operate.

We face several world crises that could kill us all and end the human story. We also endure the immediate rise of a fascistic religious nationalism spearheaded by Donald Trump, which wants to destroy our American democracy.

The Superbowl Commercial "He Gets Us" misses the mark by presenting a narrow view of Christianity where narcissism is disguised as altruism.

In this thought-provoking exploration, author Thomas Huening embarks on a daring quest to unravel the complexities of faith, freedom, and the enigmatic legacy of one of America's most iconic figures.

The message was simple. Love God. Love your neighbor. Join hands in a fellowship of peace and justice. It was an invitation to fulfillment, accepted by many.

In the context of the Christian faith tradition — is the “good news” that one might assert to be at the heart of the gospel message just too idealistic for what we might be able to instead empirically see happening all around us on a daily basis?

Our perceptions of gender are changing. The role of gender in our society is changing. The relationship between gender and sexuality is changing. It’s a paradigm shift that has crested and simply will not be rolled back.

Whether you identify as a Christian, a follower of Jesus, or something else, one thing is overwhelmingly clear. The world desperately needs positive examples of authentic Christian living.

This is a book about the merger of religion, politics, and science in the pursuit of ultimate truth and moral direction.