For nearly a year of writing on the subject of achievement, I have deliberately avoided “how to”-type topics. There are many “how to succeed” and “how to get things done” books readily available. Instead, I have sought to develop a theology of achievement. But before concluding the whole series I think it’s worth reflecting a…

There are two cautions that must be recognized before beginning construction on the foundation laid in the last exploration. First, I want to be sensitive to the historical particularity of the biblical text addressing the matters of Jubilee and lamentation. The nature of lamentation, for example, will be a product of a reflection on the…

Since Vatican II most celebrants—Catholic and Protestant — no longer “turn their back” to the congregation (that is, turn to the east) during the words of institution. This act never had to do with the priest turning away from the people; rather, the point of it was to turn toward Christ’s anticipated Parousia (that is,…

In a brightly colored, unfamiliar room, Andy’s toys debate their future. They have just experienced a remarkable reversal. They thought they had been thrown away, but they commandeered their fate and found their way to Sunnyside Daycare, a place where “you’ll never be outgrown or neglected, never abandoned or forgotten.” What good news! But one…

I assume that behind the attempts to rid the public of signs of the old Confederacy is the motivation by proponents to accomplish elements of Jubilee: restoration, forgiveness, healing and the empowerment of all people in our communities to flourish. If this is the case, then, to denigrate what some people hold dear, even if…

Recently, I had a conversation with one of my sons who works in the realm of public policy engagement. The focus of our discussion was how Christians should engage public debates particularly as it relates to values and convictions. We both agreed that convictions could be shared in public debate though tempered with wisdom that…

We’ve been sorting out how to think about achievement from a biblical perspective, and we’ve been exploring some of the implications of this. But whatever theology arises, there is one place in which believers’ thinking and living is shaped more than any other: the local church. How church leaders, pastors, and elders think about achievement…

If achievement is good, if it is part of God’s design for human beings, then surely it ought to be celebrated. This week we explore reasons for celebrating achievement and ways to do so (and ways not to do so). Why we should celebrate achievement I’ve made the case that achievement is good, that it…

Achievement is an inherently good thing, even though there can be bad motivations for it. This week, we explore the fact that achievement does not occur in a vacuum. All our work and pursuit of achievement occurs in the context of lives lived with responsibilities to others. It is a cliché that high achievers may…

I was truly excited about attending The Justice Conference here in Chicago, June 5-6, 2015 sponsored by World Relief and other Christian institutions. Mark Reddy, writing the “Welcome” for the program, incorporated a powerful quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There was a time when the church was very powerful. . . . In…

“What makes a people great?” I contemplated this question during the Black Church Studies conference last month, along with a few other questions that I’ve reflected upon in previous posts (“The Church as Channel of Jubilee,” “What is the black church?“, and “What is Justice?“). But only until recently could I pinpoint a potentially foundational…

Timothy is told to “fan into flame” the gift of God,” a gift that he received from the laying on of Paul’s and others hands’ (2 Timothy 1:7). Last week, in “Fan into Flame the Gift of God,” we looked at this verse and began to explore the significance of 2 Timothy 1:7 for human achievement….