Many with whom I mourned the deadAre dead, and mourn no more. BlessédAre they that mourn, for thus they haveThe fullest magnitude of loveAnd learn of it, whereby the deadOutlive their lives, and live insteadEternally in present graceWhere death, ashamed, can find no place,For love goes with them, out of […]
Beautiful & Terrible Things
15 posts
A month or so ago, I had the privilege of being interviewed by David Capes, director of the Lanier Theological Library for the Stone Chapel Podcast. It was such a pleasure to talk with David about Beautiful and Terrible Things and especially about our boys. Both of us are bereaved […]
The following is a series of experts from Chapter 8, “Raised Imperishable,” in my book Beautiful and Terrible Things. When I teach courses on the Bible one of the first interpretive rules I put forward is this: The Bible doesn’t answer all the questions that we want to ask. My […]
This afternoon, 15 August 2022, the Frederick Buechner society posted the announcement below. This is a loss that I and thousands others will feel deeply. His writings and reflections led me to examine and express my faith more clearly than ever and I am forever thankful that I accidentally discovered […]
Today in the Church Calendar we remember the slaughter of the Innocents by Herod (Matt. 2:13-18). There can never be justification or explanation sufficient for the death of the innocent, wherever and whenever, and I will make no efforts to do so. But the prayer that we offer in the […]
Those of us who grieve loved ones who are no longer with us view All Saints’ Eve and All Saints’ Day in a different way. We remember those who have gone before us, often too soon, and we try and do so in hope. The resurrection is that hope, “the […]
The following is an excerpt from Beautiful and Terrible Things, chapter 8, “Raised Imperishable.” A recent comic by my friend Michael Jantze made me think again about how we refer to death. I may be pushing my exegesis of 1 Cor. 15:20, but I think there is significance in Paul’s […]
The Gospel reading for today, November 18, 2020, is Luke 17:11-19. The following is an excerpt from my book Beautiful and Terrible Things and considers why this one leper turned back to Jesus. In Luke’s Gospel, just before Jesus says that, “in fact, the kingdom of God is among you,” […]
A few weeks ago I had the honor of being interviewed about Beautiful and Terrible Things by Shelley Craig for the Faith and Grief Podcast. The less than stellar audio quality was my fault, I was recording from my iPad via Zoom (so sometimes it would speed up/slow down). It […]
Elizabeth and I were so honored to be invited on Open To Hope’s Conversations: The Podcast. It was a wonderful chance to talk about Mack, grieving, and finding hope.