Drew Downs

Make a New Normal

Kingdom

  • Why Religious Freedom Acts are Code for Open Discrimination

    •

    7 min read

    In the last few years, we’ve seen a flurry of new bills coming out of state houses addressing religious liberty. They reveal an earnest desire to protect religious freedom. In practice, however, they serve to disenfranchise and actually restrict the religious liberty of vast numbers of people. These bills, popping up in at least 20 states, including…

    8

  • The New Authority

    •

    5 min read

    Jesus shows us why our ideas of power are only half right a Homily for Epiphany 4B  |  Text: Mark 1:21-28   Authority Today’s story about Jesus leaving the seashore and heading to the synagogue to teach is obviously about authority. It says so. Twice. But it gets a little complicated. Yes, it is about authority…

    0

  • Hiding the Kingdom

    •

    7 min read

    Jesus’s parables are dependent on seeing and understanding Proper 12A  |  Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 The Hiding At the beginning of this chapter, we’re told Jesus is so swarmed by people that He jumps into a boat to teach the crowds surrounding Him on the shore. There so many people He has to put a barrier up; to…

    2

  • Under the Big Tent

    •

    1 min read

    [Photo/The Daily Progress/Andrew Shurtleff] The question for Anglicans should not be “How big is your tent?” It should be “How does the way we gather under it announce the Kingdom of God is at hand?” What is Anglicanism? | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

    2

  • No Worries

    •

    6 min read

    a homily for Proper 14C Text: Luke 12:32-40 Hoard Thinking all the way back to last week, Jesus was asked to settle a property dispute. Two brothers were arguing over property and invite Jesus, the holy man, to help them settle it. Seems natural enough. Let’s call on the guy who can help us settle on…

    0

  • The Slave Is Neither Wicked Nor Lazy

    •

    1 min read

    Proper 28A, Matthew 25:14-30 This passage is known as the Parable of the Talents.  Which is unfortunate, since it sometimes gives us the wrong idea.  We think that it has something to do with investing our talents and treasure in the Kingdom of God.  That’s what we normally preach.  And we’d be wrong. We also preach…

    2