• Eirenicole

Theology

Bad Theology Kills

Bad Theology Kills 2048 1365 Nicole
Bad theology kills. We are shaped by our theology. Whatever it is that any of us believes or disbelieves about god—any god—informs behavior, relationships, community governance, power differentials—and who gets to decide. Each set of beliefs shared by any community lays the groundwork for who can curate the crucial tenets included in that set of beliefs (usually collated into a central written form), and who are deemed incapable. And once this discrete knowledge-bearer(s) is ordained for the position, all (legitimate) interpretive work, the terms of adherence to this theory of the divine and the consequences of not, are determined by this individual or limited set of overseers placed there by the very belief system they are given to superintend. Entrenched. Fixed. Immutable. read more
Just Calling

Just Calling

Just Calling 2050 1920 Nicole
For any situation to be truly just, it cannot consist of power differentials, power plays. The only way that balance can exist, for everyone to be treated with equity and regard is for those who hold a majority of power to give some of it up, empowering those who have little or none. Jesus says, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers – they own heaven and the earth! Not by wielding power over others. They do so through poverty of spirit (not controlling, managing others); they mourn over lost relationships; they are merciful. They see God. “If the nature of love is unity and evolution is process toward greater unity, then sin is resistance to unity.” Ilia Delio God is clear about our responsibility to our relationships – all of them – even the ones we didn’t know we were supposed to have. Especially the ones we didn’t know we were supposed to have! The phrase attributed to Hildegard is incredibly apt: sin is living in the exile of unrelatedness. Exiled from the garden because we don’t trust the other in the relationship, we form our own prejudices toward the other – when we didn’t even know we were naked! We didn’t even know there was a difference – back when we were living in unity, back when we took responsibility for one another. We choose to eat the fruit each time we choose to make the knowledge of outward difference a point of division, of exiling ourselves from each other. And we choose it again. And again. Still, Jesus chooses us. And he chooses us again. And again. Beckons us. Calls us to a better way: Love. And the nature of Love is unity. God chose what is foolish… so that no one might boast in the presence of God… Because if I boast in the presence of God – or in the presence of anyone else, which is the same thing (God in you, and all that) – I am making a distinction, distinguishing myself as something other – and another as something less, lacking. Foolishness only seems foolish to those who need to feel more important. Foolishness looks stupid because power is no longer important. Only love. Only the relationship. Foolishness looks foolish because, despite the fact that you might have hurt me or I’ve let you down, we choose each other. And we choose each other again. And again. And again. Because we are called to each other. A just calling. read more
Disciple's Communion

Disciple’s Communion

Disciple’s Communion 2560 1920 Nicole
It requires a fair amount of faith to live in unity, with a bond of peace. We must believe there is “one body and one Spirit, … called to the one hope … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” It is communion; it is the disciple’s communion. It is active faith – not unthinking, holding to some literalism that creates a fissure between us – but genuine, ‘working out our faith’ (Phil2:12) working hard at it, with even a bit of fear and trembling. For this kind of faith we must be gentle with each other and with ourselves, patient, bearing with each other in Love. Because those who love are born of God and know God. Those who don’t love – and it is easy to love those who love you, but Jesus says, “love your enemies too!” (Lk6:35) those who don’t love, don’t know God. Period. Because God. Is. Love. read more

Defining Reconciliation

Defining Reconciliation 2560 1920 Nicole
We get hung up on the thing that follows (the so-called command, the for instance that is recommended – the details that are for that particular situation in time-space) than on what the scripture is revealing about God – who God is, what is God’s character, act and being: actively, relate-ably reconciling. And we are also defined by our reconciliation, our witness to the world of God’s reconciling action with us and with one another. – they will know we are Christians by our love… read more

Accepting Love

Accepting Love 2560 1920 Nicole
When I notice you loving each other; when we experience joy together; when we act as instruments of peace . . . These are the effects of God’s act and being in our world, much like the way physicists observe the act and being of particles in our universe. How we do theology matters. When my data – how I experience God, understand scripture – when my data overlays yours, and then ours together overlays your neighbors, etc., imagine! Imagine the remarkable things we can see with our collective visions of God’s very presence among us and as vast and vaster still as the unfathomable universe we can actually observe. read more

Sent By Love

Sent By Love 2560 1920 Nicole

We’re four misfits who don’t belong together, we’re playing for the other misfits. They’re the outcasts, right at the back of the room. We’re pretty sure they don’t belong either. We belong to them.Freddie Mercury You are unique. I am unique. How can we think that it is a good thing to try and do…

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Inked By Love

Inked By Love 2560 1920 Nicole

See goodness. Jesus asked Peter, Do you love me? three times. Jesus replied, Feed my sheep. All of them. The unforgivable sin is to not recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ performing God’s work. When I notice a person living in a certain way and judge that lifestyle as contrary to God…

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Shekinah, Dimensionality, and Unity

Shekinah, Dimensionality, and Unity 2560 1920 Nicole
Those who were and are rejected by the church want to know God, want to be in God’s presence, want to be the place (vessel) where God’s Name resides – as the temple that Solomon built to house God’s name, this same Solomon from whom the Queen of the East came to hear wisdom. Someone greater than Solomon is here who already made the places for God’s name to reside—Shekinah. read more

Clark, 13

Clark, 13 1978 2560 Nicole

Clark Howard JeeSung Snyder turns 13 today. My baby, the youngest of four, is now “officially” a teenager. Just in the past couple of months his gaze all too quickly approaching the level of mine slipped right by and can now, ever so slightly, cast down on me. I stand tall in this newly appointed…

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Creativity Transcends Gender – It Is Divine

Creativity Transcends Gender – It Is Divine 1080 1350 Nicole

The only quality that can be ascribed to creativity is that it is inspired. Creativity transcends gender. Inspire – divine insight; to breathe life into the creative activity that is ignited within. Our creations orchestrate an exhibition of God’s being. Jesus, through whom all things were made (Jn1:3) is our true Mother, as Julian of…

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