Red poppies growing near the castle wal at Monsaraz Castle, Portugal

Lots of news in the world out there this week.  The news of the world in here is of lots of time with family.  We love it!

But thinking of the world out there, in this week of lots of news, the president has called on us all to “lower the temperature” in terms of our political discourse.  Another president more eloquently  called us “with malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds…”

I am a bit of a news junky and can find myself sucked into the high temperature discourse with its malice and lack of charity.  So, how do we lower the temperature, rid ourselves of malice, and become people of charity for all?  Yes, we must discipline our discourse, but even before that, we must order our thoughts.  Disordered thoughts lead to disordered dialog and disordered deeds.

The Apostle Paul advises Christians how to think: …whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV) Philippians 4:8

Even in a week (or two) filled with the joy of children and grandchildren, I am keeping an eye on the headlines and the high temperature discourse they describe and encourage.  Lest I succumb to their fever pitch, I must think about whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, of things excellent, of things worthy of praise.  Such things are not hard to find if you know where (and are willing) to look for them.

This is not political commentary, though it is occasioned by events in the world of politics. And as I write about the reality of aging, I don’t intend a subtext of confession or concern.  I am 72 years old and growing older, but, as far as I know, with no cause for alarm as to my physical or mental abilities. Those of you who think I should turn in my car keys may message me privately.

President Biden’s age, or perhaps more accurately, his aging, has become the central topic of political conversation since his first debate with Donald Trump on June 27. What appears to be a decline especially in some of the president’s cognitive functions is raising questions as to his political future and the viability of his plans for a second term.

The political issues are important, to be sure, but perhaps the personal reflection and inner conversation kindled in many of us by the public discourse are of greater consequence. Continue reading →

I’m preaching in Ossian this coming Sunday (livestream/video here).  There are lots of reasons to feel honored and privileged at the opportunity, and I thank Pastor Andrew and the elders on the Session for their invitation and for trusting me with the pulpit.

The summer sermon series comes from the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and at week five, I have been given kindness as my topic.

Kindness also appears on the virtue lists found in Ephesians and Colossians. Kindness is one of those self-evident virtues; I can’t use some exegetical magic to bring deep theological insight to the Greek word or understanding of kindness as somehow between patience and goodness.  Kindness means, well, it means kindness.  The opposite of meanness, something like that.  We think of being kind to animals and helping an elderly person cross the street.

In the sermon I will be going over to Romans 2 to develop the idea of costly kindness as an attribute of God. God’s costly kindness is meant to lead us to repentance.  We’ll see how the sermon goes. Continue reading →

Politics and politicians. Not exactly positive words in our world.

This edition of Observations will drop Friday morning, the day after the first presidential debate of 2024. You can read about that political event elsewhere – or turn off your news feed and try to ignore it all. There are 130 days until election day, though we know elections never seem to end. Many of us will tolerate these 130 days and all the political chicanery they entail as a necessary evil at best.

Especially in our age of partisanship and polarization, politics can be relationally toxic, emotionally trying, and intellectually tiring.  And to what end?  The winner as one of the two least-liked candidates in anybody’s memory.

That said, politics and things political are not just a necessary evil, but, in fact, an absolute good.

Last week Becky and I were in Memphis not only to visit our daughter, son-in-law, and 6-year old grandson – the best part of the visit, but also so that I could join a thousand other Presbyterians at the annual meeting of our denomination’s General Assembly. Continue reading →

From the 1833 Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church

It’s General Assembly season for lots of different Presbyterians. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America has been meeting this week, the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, my denomination, is meeting next week, and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is meeting the following week. Each of these denominations have distinctives and identities unique to themselves. But this year’s general assemblies have at least one thing in common: each is about when to say “yes” and when to say “no.” The issues vary – not mine to comment on the issues before the PCA and the PC(USA).  As for the EPC, I’ll be at the meeting in Memphis ready to listen and praying to vote wisely.

You are free to do your own Google work, but my sense is that the PCA and the EPC are wrestling with the issue of when to say “no” and the PC(USA) is deciding if they must always say “yes.” Hint: the churches are not free from culture war battles.

One of my favorite New Testament verses is 2 Corinthians 1:20, which says in part, “all the promises of God find their Yes in Christ.”  I would rather say “yes” than “no.” At our general assembly we are going to be asked to vote yes or no on a policy designed to say “no.” I don’t know how I will vote, yes or no, and, as I said, I plan to listen and to pray for wisdom. Continue reading →