Category Archives: theology

Stuff Happens: Rain on the just and unjust

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Mark Love

When a hurricane hits Haiti or ravages the east coast, I wish a Christian leader would quote Jesus, “He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous” (Mt 5:45). I … Continue reading →

Posted in theology | 4 Comments

Taking the Name of the Lord in Vain: the dangers of simple cause and effect logic

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Mark Love

A theological pet peeve of mine is the easy indictment. By this I mean that causation is assigned to either God or Satan with a bare reading of the circumstance. Children get killed in a Connecticut school and easy assertions … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, theology | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

A Communion Story

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Mark Love

Sunday was a momentous day for me. I sat between my father and my son in church. When the communion tray was passed down our aisle, it came to my father first. Normally, this would be a less than ideal … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, theology | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Idolatry and the Gift of Grace: Some words from Luke Timothy Johnson

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Mark Love

The pages are literally falling out of my well-worn copy of Luke Timothy Johnson’s book, Faith’s Freedom. Admittedly, the binding on the book is not the best, but pages are falling out primarily from use. Some books you read and … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional theology, theology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Out of Answers?: you’re not out of God

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Mark Love

I have the privilege of teaching the Bible to college freshman. For most of them, the Bible is mostly a set of impressions. Even if they know some Bible stories, they really know very little about the Bible. They think … Continue reading →

Posted in hermeneutics, Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , | 57 Comments

The Divine is in the Details: Process and the Leading of God

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Mark Love

As with so many things, Luke Timothy Johnson says it right. “If we identify the church as a community of faith, the process of decision making ought to make the structures and implications of this response to reality called ‘faith’ … Continue reading →

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Sons of Anarchy: Reflections on Family and Violence

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Mark Love

I’ve been trying to catch up on my Sons of Anarchy viewing. Since I gave up cable a few years ago, I’ve lost the thread and am a couple of seasons behind. It’s a violent show, and I’m not prone … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, culture, theology | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Hospitality as Power

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Mark Love

I have the great privilege each year of traveling with graduate students in our missional leadership program to Durham, NC, to spend some time with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and the Rutba House new monastic community. This year, I invited Richard Beck … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional leadership, missional theology, theology | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

I’ve Got Power Like a River

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Mark Love

I recently preached a sermon series through 1 and 2 Samuel. We know the big stories. Saul and David and Goliath and Jonathan and Bathsheba. They are stories we tell over and over. Some stories, however, we tend to avoid … Continue reading →

Posted in Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paul’s Temporal Imagination: what difference does it make?

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Mark Love

OK, last post I got some feedback on Facebook. Went something like this: you’re a fancy thinker and writer and all, mr. smartypantsblogger. But what does any of this have to do with anything? I think that is a direct … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional theology, theology | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments