God’s Perfect Gift
It is the time of year that we all start thinking about giving and receiving gifts. Sometimes these are handmade gifts that show our heart to those who receive them. Sometimes they are store bought gifts but can still show someone how much we care about them. At other times it can be a gift of time or talents. It could be as simple as a phone call to wish someone a “Merry Christmas” or to say “I love you”.
Whatever the case may be, the act of giving and receiving gifts has been around since the dawn of time, and is one of the oldest forms of social interaction. In this act, we can see something of the culture of the person giving the gift, as well as the practices of the society in which they live. For instance, there is an old superstition …
The Truthfulness of the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus
There is a growing movement in our denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), toward what is often called “progressive Christianity.” Among other things, progressive Christians believe “… that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience ‘God,’ the Sacredness, Oneness and Unity of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom, including Earth, in our spiritual journey.” (https://progressivechristianity.org).
And so over the past year, in various conversations with leaders and members of our regional church (the Christian Church in Arizona), I have raised the question of who we say Jesus is. On more than one occasion, I have especially brought up the issue and importance of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. I did so at first circumstantially – I was responding in a stumbling way to an unexpected comment from a colleague; and later, more intentionally, as I’m doing in this piece.
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