bible

April 8, 2024 - The current ecclesial crisis is an opportunity to reassess, among other things, the Church’s understanding and practice of mission. And this work is well underway. By James Amadon

March 18, 2024 - What does it mean to follow Jesus in this place, at this time, with these people? By James Amadon

Feb. 19, 2024 - As a species, we have assumed a place in this world that is not ours to take; we are, collectively, out of place. By James Amadon

Feb. 6, 2024 - When I was 15, I was called out by a traveling preacher in the shabby conference room of the only motel in Lancaster, NH. She declared, in front of the small crowd that had gathered for revival, “There’s an evangelist!” 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

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

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

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