What's Tony Thinking

Follow Up on Today’s Lecture

I was pleased with how my lecture for Desert Garden UCC and their new lecture series went this morning. On their end they did a great job of organizing and producing the thing. A nice tribute to the former pastor, Sam Sawitski, who died unexpectedly in July 2019.

Here’s the link if you wish to listen to the recording/ see the video. Just to refresh the title of the lecture was “How To Live When Things Fall Apart.” It could just as easily have been, “How to Live in Apocalyptic Times.” I focused on contemporary use of the terms apocalyptic and apocalypse and on the apocalyptic texts of the gospels. In contrast to contemporary and popular usage which is dominated by fear and anxiety, I argued that Biblical apocalyptic seeks to engender hope and confidence. Here’s that link.

I’m not sure I’ve gotten that link “live.” If not go to the church’s website where you should be able to find a live link to the lecture soon.

While I am sharing links, let me mention a podcast that I’ve really been enjoying. It’s called “Crackers and Grape Juice.” Their goal is to talk about matters of faith without using “stained glass language.” And they succeed. Recent interviews include David French of the “French Press” blog and Dispatch, and the Canadian theologian Douglas Harink about his new book Resurrecting Justice. I also really enjoyed their interview with Richard Beck about his book on Johnny Cash, Trains, Jesus and Murder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash. How could you not be interested in a book with a title like that?

Here’s the link for Crackers and Grape Juice podcast.

And since we’re on matters of tech. Here’s a recent report for this website. Last week we topped 8,000 subscribers. In the past month we had 4,300+ users who showed up for nearly 8,000 sessions. Thanks to all of you who check in regularly, who read, who respond, who share these posts in all the ways available to you.

After I published my blog on the first Biden/ Trump debate, a reader asked “Why bother?” Why add more to the partisan chatter, given that I wouldn’t change anyone’s mind (one might need to alchemist to change the minds of any Trump supporters!) I responded, in part, “I write. I have always written. I can’t help myself. Maybe I should go to a 12-Step Group for help?” In the meantime, I keep writing in order to sort my own thoughts out.

And maybe what I write occasionally helps others as they try to think things through for themselves and find meaning in the midst of crazy time.

At least that’s my hope, or maybe my excuse.