CCBlogs thinking critically, living faithfully

Steve Pankey's blog

Part of me wants to send a quick survey out to my congregation; a survey of only one question, "How many of you have actually read the book of Hosea?"

I get what the RCL is trying to do. They want to to experience more of the Bible - its women, its laments, its tough spots. I get it, and I applaud their work. But Hosea 1? Really?

Oh God, if you can find 5 faithful people at St. Paul's, please don't let this be read.... READ MORE.

Steve Pankey's blog

I try not to be too culturally relevant in my sermons these days. During the sermon, my congregation is made up of people aged as young as 12 months to as old as 88 (plus or minus). It is hard to make a reference to a movie or TV show and have everybody get it. Two and a half years ago, I preached Ricky Bobby's Baby Jesus Prayer, and a lot of people were clueless (though when I repeated *most* of the prayer from the pulpit, laughter came from many generations.

Anyway, all that to say, that I'm thinking about Yoda's wisdom, "do or do not, there is no try" this morning as I read Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan. Twice in the interaction with the lawyer Jesus uses that scary, two-letter word, "do."... READ MORE.

Steve Pankey's blog

As you may have picked up on by now, my rector has begun his sabbatical. He'll be back to cover me for a couple of weeks in July, August, and September, but, for the most post part, St. Paul's is a one-priest show until November.

Jesus sent the 70 out in groups of 2.

After three years of shared ministry and three days of planning it all on my own, I've decided that Jesus did this to tell us that 2 is the absolute minimum for ministry.... READ MORE.

Steve Pankey's blog

Most scholars tend to agree that the 21st chapter of John is an epilogue, added later. They argue over when it was added and by who, but I'm not really interested in that piece of the debate. What I care about is why it was added. Why, after the nice, tidy finish of Jesus appearing in the upper room, breathing the Spirit, sending his disciples, reappearing for Thomas' sake, and then John's closing editor's note, does John (or pseudo-John, honestly who cares) then choose to reopen the story?

It reminds me of sitting in a movie theater, seeing the credits begin to roll and saying, "you know what, I'm not leaving yet, something else is coming." And sometimes it does.... READ MORE.

Steve Pankey's blog

Yesterday, we heard in the Easter Gospel that the disciples did not believe the women; they thought their story to be an idle tale. Keith named, very helpfully I might add, that there were some in the pews on Easter Day that thought the same thing, this Jesus stuff is just foolishness.... READ MORE.

Steve Pankey's blog

The story of Jesus and the miraculous catch is probably the best known fishing tale in history. It is a favorite of Sunday school programs, an easy teaching for youth groups, and it gets preached all the time. It is so well known that we barely know it at all. We've heard it so many times, we think we know it, but we know only bits and pieces.

A fellow priest and I were on the phone on Monday lamenting the translation of the NRSV when Jesus tells Simon from now on he'll be "catching people." Why ruin the pun of fishers of men, we both wondered. Well, mostly because that's Matthew's version, not Luke's. In Luke the Greek verb means "live catching" and not "fishing." Did you know that? I didn't.... READ MORE.