Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 14
April 14, 2019
The trouble with Good Friday
The day of Easter is the culmination of the story of God’s plan for salvation — a reminder that death does not have the last word. But before Easter, a happy day is festivity, comes Good Friday: a day of darkness when Jesus was crucified, and the Jews were blamed for it. Good Friday is… Continue reading The trouble with Good Friday
March 24, 2019
American Christians and “Persecution Envy”
Some Christians complain about having to experience any discomfort at all. Others seem unable to get enough of it – or they’ve experienced so little genuine suffering that they have to create it. I can’t help but think of Kim Davis: the county clerk from Rowan County, Kentucky, who in 2015 refused to issue marriage… Continue reading American Christians and “Persecution Envy”
March 7, 2019
Who am I offending, and why?
I don’t consider myself a conservative or progressive Christian. I’m not sure what each label fully entails, but I do know I hold views that satisfy — and irritate — both groups. With that in mind, you can understand why it took me the entirety of my twenties to find the right denomination and church.… Continue reading Who am I offending, and why?
February 15, 2019
Inspiration for wealthy evangelicals (and no one else)
When I read my friend Neil’s blog post, The Christian Finish, I couldn’t help but think of “Christian Instagram culture” — the types of posts that feature open Bibles next to mugs of coffee (guilty), with a story of hardship and how God came through in the end. As you know, being an Episcopalian and… Continue reading Inspiration for wealthy evangelicals (and no one else)
February 6, 2019
On having a “flexible faith”
I once had a high school English teacher who told the class we could argue in our term papers that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is about a cheese sandwich, and get full credit…if we could make a credible case for it, using textual and historical evidence. As far as I’m aware, no one wrote a… Continue reading On having a “flexible faith”
January 31, 2019
Two theologies of suffering
Harold Kushner’s book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, is a beloved classic for people of all religious backgrounds. For those who haven’t read it — or read it a long time ago and need a refresher, since the book is nearly 40 years old — did you know Kushner asserts that God wants… Continue reading Two theologies of suffering
January 25, 2019
MAGA hats and the importance of symbols
Ever since the kerfuffle at the March for Life last week between a group of Catholic school boys in MAGA hats and a Native American veteran, I’ve been thinking a lot about symbols — how they get their meaning, and how the same object or slogan can mean different things to different people. I know… Continue reading MAGA hats and the importance of symbols
January 22, 2019
Why I marched
It’s one thing to protest for a cause — and another to do it in the nation’s capital. I’d done the former a few times, but when my mom told me she would pay for my plane ticket to Cleveland so we could drive down to DC together, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.… Continue reading Why I marched
January 15, 2019
For the Christian whose testimony is “different”
There are a lot of articles out there for Christians whose testimonies are too “bland.” For the person who grew up in a Christian home and answered an altar call at the age of four, who can’t remember a time in their lives when they weren’t Christian, they often wonder: how can I make an… Continue reading For the Christian whose testimony is “different”
January 1, 2019
A few lifestyle changes for 2019
Instead of specific New Year’s resolutions, I try to stick to general, non-specific goals for the year (ie: increase my freelance business vs. increase my salary by at least $10k). One such goal that’s been on my mind for a while is to make lifestyle changes so I produce less waste, and consume less as… Continue reading A few lifestyle changes for 2019
