Big news, a bit of comedy, a YouTube update, subscriber questions, an observation about the youth mental health crisis, and an interpretation of the cross in Mark's Gospel.
Congrats on the new gig at ACU! I just came across your 2018 article about God's presence at the crucifixion—I'm referring to it in a podcast episode about the darkness at the crucifixion. Thanks for your good work!
I thought the intergenerational piece in relation to the christian community was interesting. Just an anecdotal piece to add. We were having a family dinner the other night; my older two have left home (one is married and the other has a serious girlfriend)- so a full table! Basically the the comments were that their ability to talk to older and younger people was because of church. This is in contrast to a friend who said his own niece and nephew do not even say hello when he visits. Couple this with (what I think are basic good manners) standing up when you meet someone, shaking hands, looking people in the eye, and introducing yourself. In a very real sense the Christian community did all these good things naturally. Older people taking an interesting in you, people sharing things from different perspectives, being asked to help with others etc. This is not a back in my day rant, as I see this in a wide range of ages struggling to connect beyond a very narrow circle of people.
Thank you, Leon! I agree: the fundamentals of courteous interaction are at issue. These require practice, and practice requires opportunity. The church does so much beyond the merely "religious" functions many imagine. And no, it's not a back in my day rant. It's observation and care for today and tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations on this next chapter Dr. McKinzie! Loved the Atonement and Reconciliation class that I got to take with you a couple years back. Grateful to be able to follow the work that you're doing here on Substack as well!
Congrats on the new gig at ACU! I just came across your 2018 article about God's presence at the crucifixion—I'm referring to it in a podcast episode about the darkness at the crucifixion. Thanks for your good work!
Thanks so much, Tim! I'm glad the article is worth discussing. The darkness where God was—let's go!
Good post, and a number of items to explore.
I thought the intergenerational piece in relation to the christian community was interesting. Just an anecdotal piece to add. We were having a family dinner the other night; my older two have left home (one is married and the other has a serious girlfriend)- so a full table! Basically the the comments were that their ability to talk to older and younger people was because of church. This is in contrast to a friend who said his own niece and nephew do not even say hello when he visits. Couple this with (what I think are basic good manners) standing up when you meet someone, shaking hands, looking people in the eye, and introducing yourself. In a very real sense the Christian community did all these good things naturally. Older people taking an interesting in you, people sharing things from different perspectives, being asked to help with others etc. This is not a back in my day rant, as I see this in a wide range of ages struggling to connect beyond a very narrow circle of people.
Thank you, Leon! I agree: the fundamentals of courteous interaction are at issue. These require practice, and practice requires opportunity. The church does so much beyond the merely "religious" functions many imagine. And no, it's not a back in my day rant. It's observation and care for today and tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations on this next chapter Dr. McKinzie! Loved the Atonement and Reconciliation class that I got to take with you a couple years back. Grateful to be able to follow the work that you're doing here on Substack as well!
Mick! Great to hear from you, and sincere thanks for subscribing. No doubt I'll eventually talk about atonement. Looking forward to your interaction.