Drew Downs
-
Getting behind Jesus
•
9 min read
This is the first movement in the turning point, the turning away from the early life of Jesus and toward his destiny. The turning away from safety and toward the danger of the cross. The turning away from home and toward Jerusalem. Jesus turns toward Jerusalem before his followers are ready Proper 19B | Mark…
-
Christianity is more than identity
•
6 min read
More than identity Reports surfaced a few days ago about a church in Germany which has baptized hundreds of refugees in the last two years. It was first brought to my attention by Zack Hunt, whose insightful piece “Why The Report Of Muslim Refugee Conversions In Germany Breaks My Heart” is, itself, heartbreaking. I know…
-
When we hate cheating…and following the rules
•
5 min read
Imagine if Mitt Romney got caught stuffing ballot boxes in 2012. Well, not actually Mitt, but staff. Volunteers, actually. You’d be pissed, right? That’s serious, land his ass in jail stuff. Now imagine that election law only says that it is against the law to stuff ballot boxes. It doesn’t say what it means or…
-
More than dogs
•
11 min read
Given our country’s spotty record on race relations, on exploitation of others, it is far too easy for us to ignore our place in the mess. a call to reconciliation Proper 18B | Mark 7:24-37 Feeding the dog We don’t know the original question the woman asks Jesus. Only its subject and that she begs.…
-
Aylan and the Others
•
2 min read
I didn’t think of him (maybe I did). More like I tried not to think of how small he once was. But his wasn’t the first I saw, the first, “chilling” she called it, I couldn’t take. It was of a boy on his back, shirt below his chin like when he shows his belly…
-
My deeply held religious belief
•
3 min read
I’ve grown quite tired of the phrases “deeply held belief” and “sincerely held religious belief”. They’ve been coming up a lot lately, especially with that interesting woman from Kentucky. Or those people with the restaurant or the one with the bakery. But we know it from the Hobby Lobby decision. Deeply held, sincerely held belief. We…