Posts Categorized: Marriage

Sightings

The Missing Candle A Wedding Story by Ken Rummer   My vote for most dangerous part of a wedding? The unity candle.  A wick that refused to catch fire comes to mind. And I can still see the outdoor candle, just lit, that promptly succumbed to a mischievous breeze. In another wedding, two half-candles, individually… Read more »

Wisdom Journey

Short speech. Short temper? Texts and tweets are better for expressing contempt, not compassion By N. Graham Standish Efficient conversation often elicits conflict. Compassionate conversation often compels companionship and cooperation. The question is whether we have the patience for compassion.   We are increasingly communicating in efficient ways. That seems to be the thrust of… Read more »

I Do?

One Marriage License or Two Fishing Licenses? How legal marriage has skewed the Christian view of marriage By Jeffrey A. Schooley In early June 2007, I drove to the Summit County (OH) court house with my friend Than to get my marriage license. My wife-to-be, Brianne, was planning to meet us there. She ran late…. Read more »

I do?

Should Christians date/marry non-Christians? On correctly interpreting scripture incorrectly By Jeffrey A. Schooley If you came to age in a conservative or Evangelical Christian setting, then undoubtedly you once sat in youth group while the leader read to you 2 Corinthians 6:14: “Do not be mismatched with unbelievers” (NRSV). Other translations refer to this as being… Read more »

I do?

Weddings vs. Marriages Why Christian marriage must provide subversive resistance to the capitalism of weddings By Jeffrey A Schooley $26,444. That’s the average cost of a wedding according to www.costofwedding.com. According to this CNN Money article, the average cost in 2015 was actually $32,641. Who’s actually correct is meaningless because we are all wrong for… Read more »

The No Shame Zone

One young person’s subversive thoughts on church and society   The FDA still doesn’t want gay bloodA recent change to policy underscores continuing discomfort with sex in our society and church. by Tad Hopp Recently, the FDA lifted the decades-old ban on gay men donating blood. This ban was put into effect at the height… Read more »

Not Quite Right

One slightly unhinged pastor’s attempt to love (and laugh with) a slightly unhinged church, from the inside out.   We assume too much . . . and not enough Can we tell a better story about those different from us? by Joshua Bower Pardon the not-exactly-church-appropriate language, but here’s a saying I love: “When you… Read more »

The No Shame Zone

One young person’s subversive thoughts on church and society   Body shaming Kim DavisThere are many reasons to critique Kim Davis’s refusal to issue marriage licenses; her body is not one of them. by Tad Hopp By now, you’ve surely heard about Kentucky’s county clerk Kim Davis refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-gender couples… Read more »

Recovering Reverend

You can take the pastor out of the church, but you can’t take the Church out of the pastor.   Owning our storyHow I came to believe that church wasn’t the place for a broken person like me by Derrick L. Weston Shame derives its power from being unspeakable. That’s why it loves perfectionists—it’s so… Read more »

TLC: Think Like a Christian

Seeking transformation through the renewal of our minds   Living a centered life Responding to Brandon Gaide’s “big tent” question about church boundaries by Jeffrey A. Schooley A couple months ago Brandon Gaide posed on this blog a really challenging question about the boundaries we set as a church. “Exactly how big is the tent?”… Read more »