Church, we are taught, is not the building. Church is the faithful people: the people are the building. The Eastertide readings make this clear: let yourselves be built into a spiritual house (see 1 Peter 2:2 – 10, Easter V)….
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At our 150th anniversary community celebration, Bishop Mariann spoke of Grace Church as a refuge for the many who struggle to keep their heads above water amid the demands of life in the DC region. I thought of Freddy, and…
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In Exodus God proclaims an intention to “get glory over Pharaoh” by leading the children of Israel out of bondage under Pharaoh’s rule. A God who needs to “get glory”? We demur at this self-characterization, but we needn’t. God seeks…
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The text of a sermon preached by John Graham at the Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 15 at Christ Church, Georgetown. The Bible bears witness to the mighty works of the One whom Christian tradition calls “God the Father”. These works…
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It happens by fits and starts, yet unmistakably: in the Bible, mercy and justice draw ever closer to each other. The figure of the crucified Messiah binds them irrevocably as the defining components of God’s love. This Messiah bears the…
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Some sports intensify our awareness of time. Basketball, for instance: games are now measured not in seconds, but in tenths thereof. “Clock management” is a skill set in its own right. Baseball – it’s a cliche, but still true –…
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Modern liberalism holds up broad-mindedness as an ideal. Just now, though, we’re re-learning a perennial lesson, that it’s our particular loyalties to particular people, particular communities and their particular truths that give weight to our words and actions. We can…
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Reflection The Immigrant Apostles’ Creed I believe in Almighty God, who guided the people in exile and in exodus, the God of Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon, the God of foreigners and immigrants. I believe in Jesus Christ,…
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“Pushback” is everywhere. Sometimes it’s intentional; more often, it’s just woven into the fabric of the world as it is. The brightest idea, the firmest resolve, the most extensive preparation and the most impressive credentials all meet resistance. Promising pathways…
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The philosopher Stanley Cavell says we need a place separate from ourselves where we can put our suffering. “Stego“, one of the New Testament Greek words often translated “bear”, as in “bear the cross” or “bear up under suffering”, supports…
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