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A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 


Asking Questions – 19 December 2006
By Mary T. Hoffman

An article entitled “ ’Tis the Season – For Questions” by Tom Goodhue in the 1 December 2006 issue of “The Vision,” a United Methodist Church newspaper, encourages pastors to try having a “Questions and Answers” Sunday. He suggested this approach for use on a “low Sunday” when attendance is expected to lag, as after holidays.

This is a very good idea. Goodhue further states that, “The Gospels record that Jesus often taught by asking or answering questions, and he even welcomed children in his ongoing Socratic dialogues.” He goes on to say that clerics should communicate that they admit not knowing everything and that “we believe in thinking.”

I think perhaps many people yearn for the opportunity to ask questions that they suppress, feeling intimidated by the formality of church ritual.

Goodhue gives his article this provocative ending: “As an ad campaign for the Episcopal Church proclaimed a few years ago, ‘Jesus came to take away your sin, not your mind.’ ”

Well said!

Go on to: "The Persuaders" - 20 December 2006
Return to: Comfort Food - 18 December 2006
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