I wanted to do a quick follow up from my sermon yesterday. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to or watch it, you can find it here. (https://youtu.be/Eukzj_LHcl4)

I might have presented some ideas to you that were new and therefore may not have fully made sense. Or perhaps, you understood what I said, but are not sure if you agree. If you would like to talk further about it, I would love to have some conversations about it. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

The reason why I wanted to follow up though, was not because of the content of the sermon, but rather because of the book that I referred to during it, “Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense” by N.T. Wright. I am thankful for all the ways that Mr. Wright has been influential on me and my understanding of the resurrection and what “the Good News” really means. He has a way of using analogies that makes sense and allow me to shift my understanding of concepts that help me see things in new ways. If you ever have a chance to listen to him or read his books, I would highly recommend it.

One of the things that I greatly appreciate about Wright is that he is highly respected from both the progressive and conservative sides of Christianity. He has a way of speaking that appeals to many people.

One area that he receives criticism from the progressive wing are concerning his views on same-sex relationships. During my sermon, I recommend reading the book mentioned above. If you do, he does speak of homosexuality and comes to a different conclusion than what we just affirmed as a congregation in becoming RIC (Reconciling in Christ). I only mention this to you, because, while I hope you take the time to read the book, I don’t want you to then wonder, “Did we make a mistake about our conversations and vote this past year?” I don’t believe we did for a minute.

Honestly, if you read any theologians or scholars, you will most likely find something to disagree with. (unless you are listening to me or reading something that I write.) Remember, we are talking about God. We are using words, which have limits, to describe something that is outside of any category we have. This means, as soon as we attempt to describe God, at some level, we are missing the mark. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t talk or speculate, it only means to do so with a bit of humility.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Tim