Here lies a woman who always was tired; She lived in a world where too much was required. Could this be your epitaph? Clemmie Churchill loved to quote this couplet to describe what it was like to be married to WWII-era British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. While few of us could match the level of stress that was part of her life, I suspect many of us can identify with her appreciation of this quote! We may not want these words chiseled on our tombstones, but we know exactly what they mean. In what follows, I’d like us to consider three good reasons for self-care. These reasons aren’t nec ..read more

Is Sabbath Selfish? Have you ever caught yourself wondering, “Is Sabbath selfish?” It probably speaks well for you if you have. You take your faith seriously and you try to live up to Paul’s advice to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3–4, NRSV).” If we take the apostle Paul at his word, then Sabbath does seem a bit selfish. How can we justify taking time out for ourselves when we ought to be helping other people? First of all, Sabba ..read more

The following was originally published on Tapestry—a bilingual (Spanish/English) Multicultural community of faith in Richfield, Minnesota.  Dynna Castillo Portugal–A Light that Shone (English Below) I met my friend Dynna when we were both students at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, around 2012. She was studying for her PhD and I was studying for my Master of Divinity. I imagine that we met by sharing lunch at the Latin Table at Luther where Latino people and people who spoke Spanish sat together to get to know each other, create community and support each other. I really don’t rem ..read more

One of the things that makes WTS distinctive is how we teach Hebrew. Learning Hebrew doesn’t have to give you an ulcer. It can be fun and formative, and at WTS it is both! The post Welcome to Hebrew Class! appeared first on Western Theological Seminary ..read more

Is a Master of Arts or Master of Divinity the right degree for you? As you determine whether a Master of Arts or Master of Divinity is the right pathway for you, at Western Theological Seminary, we are committed to excellence in academic learning and the formation of the whole person. Regardless of your program of choice, the faculty and staff at WTS are dedicated to helping form students who love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. With John Calvin, we recognize that knowledge of God and knowledge of self are interconnected. Through curricular and co-curricular offerings, stud ..read more

Scripture: Exodus 16 “What’s Your Excuse?” The manna story in Exodus 16 is a story about God’s provision, but it is also a story about our tendency to make excuses. Even when God tells the people not to gather the miraculous manna, some of them sneak out and try to gather some anyway (Exodus 16:26–29). It doesn’t work out, of course. But we humans always seem to be able to find an excuse to do things our way. What were they thinking, I wonder? What excuses did they give for ignoring God’s invitation to rest on the Sabbath day? Maybe they had trust issues. Who knows. Since the Bible doesn’t ela ..read more

The following excerpt was taken from Journey to the Cross: A 12-Day Reading Plan The God Who Cannot Suffer Suffered–By Dr. Wesley Hill I still vividly remember the first time I went to speak with an older, wiser Christian about some significant personal pain. I remember, afterward, feeling the joy of a burden lifted. I remember why I went to see that particular mentor rather than someone else. First, I knew that this friend had suffered. He had already described for me his own dark times in which he had cried and prayed to God for relief. Second, I knew my friend had somehow journeye ..read more

The following excerpt was taken from The Reason Love Reaches: Poems for Lent One of my favorite hymns was written over 250 years ago by Robert Robinson. In the middle of the fourth verse, seven little words summarize the strong and strange inclination of every human heart–prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.  Lent is a 40-day season in the church calendar that calls us to name all the ways we wander, some obvious, some subtle. Then, to turn towards the God who loves us and has been eagerly waiting for our return.  Not only does God patiently wait for us to turn toward home, but God ..read more

The season of Lent is quickly approaching, and we are delighted to share The End of the Christian Life: Lenten Study Companion guide.  Through a reflection on the seven weeks of Lent, beginning with the half-week that starts on Ash Wednesday, readers will have an opportunity to draw on themes from The End of the Christian Life, which includes a psalm to orient our lives and our practices within the Word of God, a brief reflection, a prompt for prayer, and suggestions for daily and weekly practices. As the introduction notes, “This guide is a journey from darkness to light, culminating in ..read more

Scripture: Luke 4:16-22 and Acts 16:11-15 “Sunday’s Fun Day, Charlie Brown!” When I first saw the exuberant artwork featured on the cover of this year’s PW/Horizons Bible study (Flowers by Ekua Holmes), I was reminded of another book cover from my childhood. The fact that the book came out in 1965 dates me, I suppose, but the image still makes me smile. The cover features Lucy and Snoopy dancing a jig on a sunny hillside while Charlie Brown looks on. The book, of course, is by Charles M. Schulz, and its title is Sunday’s Fun Day, Charlie Brown. Is that true for you, I wonder? Is Sunday a “fun ..read more