James Amadon, Editor

Nov. 29, 2023 - Good writing is slow work. One word is chosen, then another, and another, until sentences, paragraphs, stories, and arguments take shape. Then the real work begins.

Nov. 21, 2023 - When we divorce gratitude from justice, we begin to turn in on ourselves and neglect the Creator's call to live generously, equitably, and sacrificially so that gifts and gratitude are shared by all. By James Amadon

Nov. 6, 2023 - Adopting an orientation of grief means choosing to invest in things that are small, that are temporary, and celebrating them in the broken, fragile beauty they bear in the eyes of God. It is soft, cruciform foolishness. By James Amadon

October 23, 2023 - We are living in one of those moments in history when the world seems to be changing so quickly we cannot keep up – the ground is now shifting, leaving many of us feeling unsettled. By James Amadon

August 22, 2023 - We have rejected our calling to be earthkeepers, to co-sustain this beautiful earth in ways that reflect God's intentions for a flourishing world. The latest example of this can be seen in the smoldering rubble of the city of Lahaina. By James Amadon

Aug 7, 2023 - Exodus is such a powerful story is because it highlights universal themes that have been lived out over and over again - including how to live with God when the future is uncertain. By James Amadon

Monday, July 24 - It is tempting to skip these chapters - there's a lot of ink for a little worship tent! We have to ask, however, why the author of Exodus dedicated almost one-third of the book to describing the tabernacle. - By James Amadon

May 15, 2023 - Look for altars in the world that fill you with awe and connect you to the More that lies within, behind, and beyond all things. Find some companions, and let your hearts be cracked open to the pain and possibilities that this world has to offer. By James Amadon

April 13, 2023 - When Bible readers come to the law sections of Exodus, many find what is written irrelevant, incomprehensible, and occasionally offensive. But what if we see them as a complicated gift that can help us discern how to live as ecological disciples today. By James Amadon

March 27, 2023 - What is said and done here will set a course for their future. Not just where they are going, though that is important, but who they will be and whose they will be. By James Amadon

Mar. 7, 2023 - This story is a turning point for Israel. They've been freed from Egypt - now we begin to see that they have been liberated for a special purpose. By James Amadon

Feb. 20, 2023 - After watching a long line of people wait all day for their turn before Moses, Jethro gives Moses a very straightforward assessment: “What you are doing is not good." - By James Amadon

Feb. 6, 2023 - This is the part of Exodus I have not been looking forward to writing about. We must acknowledge and wrestle with these "texts of terror," as I heard a biblical scholar once refer to them. And, in the tension, there is often wisdom to be gleaned. By James Amadon

Jan. 16, 2023 - The Israelites are headed toward a place where they can stop wandering and settle down. But for them to become the kind of people that can live as God's people in a particular place, the journey they are on is essential. By James Amadon

Jan. 3, 2022 - In this moment, they would prefer servitude with full stomachs rather than freedom with empty ones. Maybe Pharaoh wasn't so bad - at least he didn't lead them out into the desert to die! By James Amadon

Dec. 13, 2022 - The Hebrews are out of Egypt but in the wilderness, free of oppressive civilization but surrounded by rock and sand. As they start out, once again water takes center stage. By James Amadon

November 29, 2022 - We've reached a decisive moment in the Exodus story. The Hebrews have left Egypt, but they are not yet free - one more confrontation awaits. By James Amadon

Nov. 1, 2022 - I believe we need a new exodus, one that does not take us to a new promised land but roots us more firmly and justly right where we are. This will require humility, courage, and sacrifice - three things Pharaoh could not bring himself to embrace. Can we? By James Amadon

Oct. 25, 2022 - Herein lies Pharaoh's weakness - he has built an empire on the backs of people who, if they did rise up, revolt, and leave, would bring the empire to its knees. He cannot let them go, even for a weekend worship festival. By James Amadon

Oct. 11, 2022 - As Chapter 3 begins, Moses is living his new life in Midian, married, caring for his father-in-law's flock of sheep, and safely out of the reach of Pharaoh. He is not, however, safely out of the reach of God. By James Amadon

Oct. 3, 2022 - One might think that Pharaoh's cruelty would work - what Hebrew would want to bring a baby into such a messed-up, violent world (something we often hear today)? Yet the pull towards life is strong... by James Amadon

Sept. 19 2022 - We see from the beginning that what happens in Exodus is directly connected to God's purposes for creation, particularly as it relates to humanity's place and role. God's blessing and calling continue, despite the twists and turns of human history. By James Amadon

Sept. 12, 2022 - Exodus has captivated me since I first read a cartoon version as a child. I believe it has the power to speak to us in a fresh way as we face the increasingly harsh realities of a planet that is in bondage to Pharaonic forces. By James Amadon

Sept. 5, 2022 - Every few months we ask you, our readers, to share your questions, ideas, and resources with us. In this short post, you'll see a link to a brief form that will allow you to share what's on your mind with us. It will only take a few minutes of your time. By James Amadon

August 29, 2022 - We knew nothing about caring for a forest, and it seemed reasonable that leaving it alone would spare it from our ignorance and allow it to grow "as nature intended." We were wrong. By James Amadon

Aug. 22, 2022 - Every week people send me resource suggestions - here are a few I'm passing on to help you on the journey of ecological discipleship. By James Amadon

August 8, 2022 - Last summer, I opened my front door on the third day of an extreme heat wave and stepped into a furnace of 110 degree heat. A heat dome had settled over the Pacific Northwest, and everything was baking. By James Amadon

August 1 - Tears and laughter have been regular companions as we twist and turn our way through this moment. I'm sure you have been through something similar at some point in your life - after all, change is built into the very fabric of creation. By James Amadon

June 6, 2022 - I had never heard of Camano Island. All I knew is that I had prayed for an opportunity to help people of faith rediscover that love and care for the earth and all its creatures is at the very heart of faith, and that prayer had been answered. By James Amadon

May 16, 2022 - It can be difficult to know how to find one’s way when pulled by love and loyalty for the communities and traditions that raised you, and yet pushed toward new forms of community that recognize something significant is not right and are doing something about it. By James Amadon

May 9. 2022 - Most commentators and preachers focus on the centrality of solitude and prayer to the life and ministry of Jesus. What they rarely emphasize is the importance of place in these moments. By James Amadon

May 2, 2022 - A perfect lawn invites us to sit, lay, or play in its soft, green blanket. It presents us with an image of ecological health and connection. But this carefully constructed image masks multiple problems. By James Amadon

April 18, 2022 - As I entered the forest for the first time, I was keenly aware of its beauty - and my ignorance. I had no idea how to care for a forest. By James Amadon

April 4, 2022 - How do we talk about something that is, for many people, a new and challenging perspective that has not been part of their vocabulary? By James Amadon

March 22, 2022 - To see that beauty endures, even if only as a memory, is a pathway to healing. It is also a pathway to hope, helping us see our existence beyond the level or mere physicality, even as it roots us more deeply there. By James Amadon

March 14, 2022 - The war in Ukraine reaches out and touches every person and every place. From the perspective of ecological disciples, it asks us to reflect on what it means to follow Jesus in this moment, and what we might do to "make peace" in this fragile moment. By James Amadon

Feb. 23, 2022 - I occasionally share resources to help readers in their journey of ecological discipleship. I hope you find something that helps you! By James Amadon

Feb. 8, 2022 - Have you ever noticed that when an extra lane is added to a highway to reduce congestion it typically clogs up with cars soon after it is added? This is the efficiency paradox. - By James Amadon

Feb. 1, 2022 - “I feel like I am living in two different worlds.” I have said, and heard, this phrase many times over the last few months. Perhaps you have as well. By James Amadon

Jan. 24, 2022 - A third and final reflection on Becoming Rooted, Randy Woodley's latest book of 100 short meditations to help us reconnect with the earth. By James Amadon

Jan. 17, 2022 - Another meditation from Randy Woodley's latest book, "Becoming Rooted." By James Amadon

Jan. 10, 2022 - I do not make New Year's resolutions, but I do think about habits and patterns in my life that need to change. This month I invite you to meet my guide. By James Amadon

January 3, 2022 - As we turn our attention to the coming year, we are aware that, from a planetary perspective, we are entering a critical year in a critical decade. By James Amadon

Dec. 27, 2021 - We think Jesus is all about humanity. But the Bible has a lot to say about Jesus' relationship with animals, if we have the eyes to see. By James Amadon

Dec. 20, 2021 - By reading Psalm 148, through eco-theological lenses, we can begin to see (and hear) the symphony of praise that echoes through every nook and cranny of creation and calls us to join in. By James Amadon

Dec. 6, 2021 - Reading the biblical prophets can reveal distinctly ecological voices and visions that offer prophetic wisdom for us today. By James Amadon

Nov. 29, 2021 - If we look at the Law through ecological lenses we will find, hiding in plain sight, a dynamic way of life that is part of creation and given for the sake of creation. By James Amadon

Nov. 16, 2021 - The story of Cain and Abel is typically understood as a human story of sibling rivalry and the dangers of giving in to jealousy, resentment, and anger. If we read the story with ecological lenses, however, the story deepens. By James Amadon

Nov. 8, 2021 - The Bible speaks of, and to, a world that is deeply interconnected and interdependent, a world in which the personal, social, ecological, cosmic, and divine dimensions of life are woven together into a dynamic and seamless whole called creation. By James Amadon

September 7, 2021 - Here is our second “Members Mailbag!” I am grateful for those who have commented on our most recent series - “7 Shifts We Need to Make,” or emailed me thoughts and questions about ecological discipleship in general. By James Amadon

Aug. 31, 2021 - A quick recap of the "7 Shifts We Need To Make," with an invitation for readers to respond. By James Amadon

8.24.21 - Where are we going? Is there an overall direction to life, a movement towards some ultimate purpose or final destination? How we answer these questions will shape our lives, and our faith, profoundly.

Aug. 16, 2021 - What if the current ecological crisis was an opportunity to heal the Church? By James Amadon

August 9, 2021 - A recent poll confirmed the continued erosion of Christianity's privileged place in Western culture - a great opportunity to rethink our sense of mission. By James Amadon

July 19, 2021 - What does it mean to follow Jesus in this place, at this time, with these people? By James Amadon

July 12, 2021 - Time for a reader check-in. What do you think about the shifts I'm proposing? By James Amadon

July 5, 2021 - Why do so many people feel disconnected and discontent? What do we need to find our place in this world? By James Amadon

June 29. 2021 - The gospel we tell is good news - just not good enough. By James Amadon

June 21, 2021 - When you look up at the stars, or down at a drop of dew on the grass, at the faces of your loved ones or your own face in a mirror, what do you see? By James Amadon

June 14, 2021 - If we are going to have a faith that is alive and alert to the needs and opportunities of our current moment, these are the shifts we must make. By James Amadon

June 7, 2021 - First ever Members Mailbag! Check out what our thoughtful readers want to know, and the wisdom they have to offer. By James Amadon

May 31, 2021 - If you are a subscriber, here's a chance to share your voice and help other readers! By James Amadon

May 24, 2021 - Reformation is a fundamental part of Creation. What are you helping to re-form? By James Amadon

May 17, 2021 - When your mind is quiet and your heart open, what do you imagine? By James Amadon

May 10, 2021 - Repentance is not only necessary, it is sweet. By James Amadon

May 3, 2021 - It may just be the faith YOU are waiting for... by James Amadon

April 26, 2021 - To welcome a new world, we need to leave the old one behind. By James Amadon

April 22, 2021 - We all want renewal, but are we prepared to leave the old world behind, to abandon our core beliefs, established practices, and privileged status? By James Amadon

April 22, 2021 - There is much wrong with the world. But that is not the place to start. By James Amadon