Note: This article comes from chapter 1 of the book, Sitting in the Shade of Another Tree, which is out now from Quoir Publishing and Patheos. “There is a person whose appearance on earth is for the well-being and happiness of all. Who is that person?” This is a question from the “Anguttara Nikaya.” For Buddhists, that person is the Buddha. For Christians, that person is Jesus Christ. Through your daily life, you can help that person continue. You only... Read more
You hear a friend of yours is in an auto accident, but you don’t yet know whether he’s alive or not. What good will prayer do since he’s in fact either alive or dead? Well, God knows how you’ll freely pray in response to hearing the news of this accident; so, in his foreknowledge, he may have worked out his purposes in advance so that your friend would live in direct response to the prayer you offered up—but die if... Read more
“Fair lady!” said Frodo again after a while. “Tell me, if my asking does not seem foolish, who is Tom Bombadil?” “He is,” said Goldberry, staying her swift movements and smiling. Frodo looked at her questioningly. “He is, as you have seen him,” she said in answer to his look. “He is the Master of wood, water, and hill.” There have been many theories, some better than others, as to who—or rather, what—Tom Bombadil is. From him being the embodiment... Read more
Grace is a key concept within Christianity. As is repentance. In fact, many Christians, including (and maybe especially) Evangelicals, say that grace without repentance is meaningless. Perhaps we can call this “cheap grace.” Okay. Fair enough. I’ve read Bonhoeffer … and I get where this line of thinking comes from. So, I only have one question: What about Donald Trump? Now, it’s not my intention to weigh in on his multitude of felonies spanning what is currently four indictments, or... Read more
A lot of people reading this are not going to agree with me. Some of you will be out-and-out furious with what I have to say. But I’ve never been one to shy away from controversy and I’m not going to start now. The song W.A.P. by Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, aside from being an absolute bop, is women’s liberation at its finest. Sure, it’s full of vulgarity and raunchiness. White evangelicals will squirm in their pews upon... Read more
First of all, thank you to Matthew Distefano who graciously invited me to take up some space at the All Set Free table. My name is Heather Hamilton, and I’m the author of Returning to Eden: A Field Guide for the Spiritual Journey. I’m an enthusiastic guest and I hope you’ll enjoy the dish I’ve brought to the party! My aim is pretty straightforward: I want to introduce you to my new book, Returning to Eden, and by the end... Read more
The following article is a guest contribution from retired philosophy professor, Ric Machuga, and in it, he summarizes his brand new book, The Story of Christianity Told as Good News for All, available now from Quoir Publishing. I believe in the God who can and will save everyone. My belief is grounded in a literal reading of St. Paul: “Just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life... Read more
Remember that scene from Seinfeld? Where George’s worlds collide? His then fiancé — the woman George would later accidentally kill with poison envelopes — becoming friends with Elaine? Not a good thing! It’s outrageous. Egregious. Preposterous. But now, the same has happened to me, only this is a “worlds colliding” scenario that I wholeheartedly embrace, rather than confront with fear and trembling. Allow me to offer the context. Thirteen years ago, my wife was in the third trimester of her... Read more
Three days ago, on March 14, the day Samwise saved Frodo from the tower at Cirith Ungol, The Wisdom of Hobbits: Unearthing Our Humanity at 3 Bagshot Row was published. Which means, yes, I am officially a major Tolkien nerd. In this book, I attempt to make the case that by living more like Hobbits, we humans will discover more happiness, joy, and bliss. And though I don’t have an idealized version of this diminutive race — I say as... Read more
If I only had 5 books to read for the rest of my life, they would A) be mostly fiction (given how lengthy Tolkien’s works are) and B) not include the Bible. Not that I dislike the Bible, but as a heathen reprobate son of Satan, what do you expect? Here’s my top 5, in no particular order: I. The Lord of the Rings Okay, so this one is both obvious, and probably cheating. It’s not really one book but... Read more
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