Author: Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn

I have been sitting here staring at the blank web log entry screen, staring because I don’t know how shape my response to this Pew Research survey from last month regarding American views of refugees. Age, race, education show marked differences on U.S. responsibility to accept refugees (not immigrants btw). In short, Evangelicals – white evangelical Protestants are at the very bottom of those surveyed convinced that the nation has a responsibility to accept refugees (25 percent). Black, Hispanic, younger, college educated, Catholic, faith-unaffiliated – all have a more accepting response toward refugees. I spent the weekend running through...

Charism is the Christian term for “gift” or “calling.” A person or group’s charism is their calling, such as a monk’s charism is a call to prayer and an ascetic lifestyle (restricted life.) Each of us has a charism. This is part of the Holy Spirit’s commissioning. Your charism is how you fit within the body of Christ, that is, the church. Your charism is closely aligned with your passion. Your charism is not necessarily your skill set. Therefore we can distinguish between Calling and Gifts: Calling is your Charism. Gifts are your skills, talents, and abilities. And here...

I believe much of what passes for Christian spirituality is wrongheaded. Let’s be very clear and certain: the goal of Christian spirituality is to give up control over one’s life. When Christians borrow stress-reducing practices, mindfulness therapies, diets, or any number of self-help strategies they may not need the Holy Spirit of God at all. A practice such as controlled breathing may indeed reduce stress and anxiety, and it may allow one to feel close to God, but the power of the practice is actually focused on gaining mastery over one’s failings and shortcomings. Any contemplative practice that does...

If Eichmann was a perverted monster, then the trial would have been no big deal.” Instead, Eichmann was “terribly and terrifyingly normal.” I finishing up reading philosopher Hannah Arendt’s 1961 Jerusalem trial coverage and analysis of Adolph Eichmann’s Nazi crimes against Jews. At the time Jews were outraged at Arendt, a German Jew, because she said Eichmann was a career-climbing clown. Jews wanted Eichmann to be a vile monster, on whom they could pin as much genocide guilt as possible. Arendt thought that if Eichmann was an actual monster then everyone would have thought, “Well, that’s what we all...