Theological reflection
Books that changed my life
Read more: Books that changed my lifeThe catalyst that changes the direction of a persons life can be very differnt depending on who you are, for me it often starts with a thought and from having the thought I would seek out books to learn more and the books would help me to shape or resahpe my reality. This series is…
Will the real Sodomite(s) please stand up!
Read more: Will the real Sodomite(s) please stand up!Sodomy and sodomite are two sad words in the english language. The words have been used in the past to describe Homosexual men and their actions. Of course the word actually means “a person from Sodom” and the verb should mean “doing what the people in Sodom did.” So what did the people of Sodom…
Let’s talk about SEX!
Read more: Let’s talk about SEX!It’s that time again, or perhaps still, to have a meta conversation about the conversation. Today I am having the conversation about god, religion and sex on the Swedish podcast Dirtytalkpodden. And so the questions come, the question that always comes up: Why do you always talk about sex? Barbara Carellas once wrote: “I give…
Theology – Why does it matter?
Read more: Theology – Why does it matter?Theology, the word means words or teachings about theos (god or the divine). Do we really need more words about the divine? After all there are miles of shelves gathered around the libraries and bookshelves around the world with all the words. My feeling is that theology matters more than ever. It has been said…
Oh for the love of god will you stop it!
Read more: Oh for the love of god will you stop it!Stop writing about the suffering of Jesus like it was good thing. Jesus pain and suffering was not good thing! We are not saved because of what we did to Jesus but in spite of it. The violence perpetrated against Jesus was humanity’s worst. like toddlers or pubescent teenagers we kicked and spat and pushed…
Oh my goddess! (or radical monotheism)
Read more: Oh my goddess! (or radical monotheism)There are some people out there that have been disturbed by the fact that I am talking about the goddess and assume by that that I have left the Christian path. Because let’s face it while we as Christian give lip-service to the fact that god may not be a “he” and perhaps even can…
Letting our place of shame become our power
Read more: Letting our place of shame become our powerThis weeks teaching on earth, birth, blood and sexuality we talked a lot about the blood mysteries within the Christian tradition. It interesting to note that while the early tradition has no such qualms the priestly tradition has a real issue with bodily fluids in general and bleeding women in particular. A bleeding woman was…
Earth, birth, blood and sexuality
Read more: Earth, birth, blood and sexualityIt is that time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Or at least that is the excuse we have to go all nuts with lights, chocolate, food and presents. In many ways Christmas has become the holiday of commercialism … which in one way is fitting as money is earth energy. But…
Did I go to far?
Read more: Did I go to far?After more than half a decade of deconstruction I face this question. It all started with deconstructing our worldview and how we view god. Moving on to deconstruct our traditions and our ways of being Christian. This is not weird and is done all the time. In progressive circles the hermeneutics of different Christian…
Love is not static
Read more: Love is not staticIt is especially true in relationships, love keeps changing and transforming and unless we change and transform with love we will “fall out of love”. The minute we freeze frame the relationship or our image of our partner, we are no longer dealing with reality or life, then we are dealing with a construct of…
Reclaiming eros
Read more: Reclaiming erosLove is such an important word. Regardless of who you are and what path you follow love is somehow at the centre of things. Love is a many splendoured thing, love lifts us up where we belong, all you need is love! (Moulin Rouge) In the sacred scriptures of the Judeo-Christian tradition there are four…
I used to avoid talking about sin, now I love it!
Read more: I used to avoid talking about sin, now I love it!Sin and repentence are two Christian concepts that I used to have an issue with. I was taught that sin was both like a cancer in my soul and that sinner was my identity. I used to actually believe that when I sinned god would leave me and stay away from me and my life…
The divine feminine
Read more: The divine feminineIn the tantric tradition everything hinges on the polarity between the divine masculine, awareness and consciousness and the divine feminine, energy and life force. Everywhere we look we see this polarity between the outward and inward movement, the tension between the two. This is reflected in the Taoist tradition and we see it in pagan…
The divine masculine
Read more: The divine masculineAs I was contemplating the mature and immature masculine yesterday I realised that in our confusion (or perhaps in my confusion, I don’t know how universal this is) we have lost the divine masculine. I have always been under the impression that we had lost the divine feminine but I think maybe I have gotten…
Being queer – The censored post
Read more: Being queer – The censored postThis post was originally posted in september 2012 and taken of the blog that same month as requested by the Salvation Army national leadership. I am now reposting it as it was an important step on the journey. This post in itself was an experiment in being open, authentic and vulnerable. The post pushed a…
So long and thanks for all the fish
Read more: So long and thanks for all the fishEvery Journey must come to an end and this is the end of our journey in the Salvation Army. It has been a great journey of trials and growth personally and professionally. So what does one say at the end of a journey? Stepping into the blue We are taking a step out into the…
Death as a gift
Read more: Death as a giftWhen you read fantasy (as I do) there are many different races. In classical fantasy the elves are gracefull and artistic, the dwarves are tough and inventive and all the races live long. But what about humans, humans are mortal. In the fantasy setting the great advantage of being human is our mortality. That hardly…
The return of the blog
Read more: The return of the blogAfter a sorely needed hiatus, I have decided to reopen my blogs. I write these blogs because I need to work through my journey in writing and because I really need the feedback I get from doing this in public. Some people think I like to provoke on purpose (to a certain degree it is…
Sex is not filthy
Read more: Sex is not filthyIT’S TRUE!! Not even when it’s really good! Not even when it’s long or loud, wet and rowdy. Sex is not even filthy when it is public or outside or taped. Sex is not filthy when it is between two men or two women. It is not filthy no matter what clothes we dress up…
Science is not secular
Read more: Science is not secularWe live in a secular society, which for most people means separation of church and state. We have this idea that church simply should not be political or involve itself in matters of state. In the same way we have this notion that church has nothing to do with science and that science have nothing…
The things Pope Francis did not say…
Read more: The things Pope Francis did not say…The last couple of days there has been a post circulating on the internet with a bunch of statements allegedly made by the current Pope. People are upset that a pope would say such things (although he didn´t) and what it would mean for Christianity at large. Other people are praising the Pope for these…
The truth of the slippery slope
Read more: The truth of the slippery slopeDuring the last couple of years many friends and people I do not yet know have told me to beware the slippery slope. They have in no uncertain terms let me know that if I start questioning the tradition bound given truths of the church that I would eventually loose my faith. Today having wandered,…
Sexuality in the Song of Songs – Part 5: Conclusion and bibliography
Read more: Sexuality in the Song of Songs – Part 5: Conclusion and bibliographyThe primary focus of the Song is the passion and the desire between the two lovers yet there seem to be something deeper underneath the surface. Rob Bell astutely asserts that: “You can’t talk about sexuality without talking about how we are made. And that will inevitably lead you to who made us. At some…
Sexuality in the Song of Songs – Part 4: Sexual Ethics
Read more: Sexuality in the Song of Songs – Part 4: Sexual EthicsIt should be very clear at this point that the Song is unashamedly and explicitly sexual. Describing the growing love and passion between two individuals. While It remains uncertain if they are married (what the Song has to say about marriage will be considered later in this essay) the Song clearly describes a passionate love…
Sexuality in the Song of Songs – Part 3: Symbols
Read more: Sexuality in the Song of Songs – Part 3: SymbolsBefore looking at the Song’s message and theology, some of the Song’s symbols and images must be decoded. It is important to not get carried away in doing this. While the Song is rife with sensual images appealing to all five senses, it is easy to take this decoding too far and end up with…
My deepest feelings are my guide
Read more: My deepest feelings are my guideThe Church is in trouble every time it instructs us to disregards our hearts or tell us that our hearts are evil/wicked. If Life is to be our religion and being alive is our spiritual practice; If the church is build by authentic relationships and if becoming and being all that I am is my…
Sexuality and the Song of Songs – part 1: Background
Read more: Sexuality and the Song of Songs – part 1: BackgroundThe Song of songs is a much debated and unique book in the Old Testament. It is near impossible to find consensus on any statement about the book except that it is unique. The book has no parallel in the rest of the Jewish or Christian Canon. It becomes difficult to assert anything about authorship,…
Philosophy + Theology = True!
Read more: Philosophy + Theology = True!I was approached last week by a Soldier that was concerned about my reading and quoting philosophical works in my blogs and my sermons. He quoted the oft quoted: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what…
Humankind is my family
Read more: Humankind is my family“Who are my mother and my brothers?” Jesus asks in Mark 3.33. It is a poignant question, one worthy to ponder as we face this turbulent life. It seems to me that while the biblical narrative in some cases puts an emphasis on family, it also deconstructs the very idea of family. Archbishop Desmond Tutu…
Love is my rule!
Read more: Love is my rule!It may seem to some the most logical place to start: God is love! This it is what I was taught as I took my first stumbling steps as a Christian. I was also taught that the bible is a love letter from god. This, however, struck me as a bit odd given the strangeness…
What about Radical Salvationism?
Read more: What about Radical Salvationism?Since I attended the conference on Radical Theology – Subvert the norm II, I have been asking myself what would a Radical Salvationism look like? Then I stumbled across the following quote by Cadet Christopher Footer in JAC Issue #45: There is only one God, and there is only one Salvation Army. That army however…
Deconstruction
Read more: DeconstructionI often end up in conversations about deconstruction. Is it wise, they ask to deconstruct doctrinal and creedal statements, bible texts and above all is it wise to deconstruct god? In the question, I find, there is a fear that deconstruction will somhow damage or break the idea or concept that is being deconstructed. There…
Being alive is my daily spiritual practice
Read more: Being alive is my daily spiritual practiceWhat is a spiritual practice, or a spiritual discipline? Most people I know would place a spiritual practice within the confines of what you do on a Sunday in church or possibly in your daily prayer session at home. A subset of my friends would also extend it to their activities in feeding the hungry…
Life is my religion
Read more: Life is my religionIt is a grand statement: Life is my religion! But what does it mean? Let’s start with the end, religion, what is religion? The word religion comes from latin and means to re/connect (ligare is the same root word that gives us the english word ligament). What is it we need to re/connect? Naturally this…
In my name ….
Read more: In my name ….This week has been full of questions and reflection. And as I was reading “The idolatry of God” I was reflecting on Jesus asking us to pray in his name. I think in our traditional thinking we connect this with John 4.6 (No one comes to the father but through me) or we possibly se…
We believe …
Read more: We believe …The conversation goes on and on, and we toss around words that are loaded with presuppositions, the verb “to believe” is not the least of them. I have written extensively about this, but it seems it’s a topic worth another go. What does it mean to believe, to have faith and to be faithful? I…
Truth, Grace & Justice
Read more: Truth, Grace & JusticeThe trinity of love consists, according to Christian Schwartz book “The 3 colors of love”, of truth grace and justice. The scriptures rarely mention truth or grace without mentioning justice, but what if any is the relationship between the three? Grace is the word most often associated with love, when someone is graceful we understand…
Christianity, faith or science?
Read more: Christianity, faith or science?It seems that most people are upset by uncertainty, and more specifically Christians get really upset if one where to say that we cannot know. I was taught when I first came into the church about this “blessed assurance”, to know that you know that you know that god is real/good/loving etc. At the same…
The importance of play and silliness
Read more: The importance of play and sillinessSitting here and mulling over my many impressions and conversations at this weeks conference (Piratkyrkan bibel – 2012). One conversation keep coming back. Saturday night we had a small conversation about Glossolalia, speaking in tongues. It is my belief that everyone can speak in tongues, as I find it hard to believe Paul would express…
First love
Read more: First loveAn unnamed ancient eastern mystic have penned that you “…should always stay at the beginning”. The beginning of a new relationship is sweet and filled with endorphin induced bliss. Equally when we first meet/fall in love with Jesus we are equally blissed out. All our attention is on this new found love, we breathe it,…
In god’s queer image …
Read more: In god’s queer image …A dear friend and mentor wrote: You ask whether your post will make you an outcast from the Christian community. I hope it does not because we could do with a dose of clear thinking, careful theological reflection, and honesty on this subject, and others. Of course, the Christian community cannot bear such questions because,…
The sacrament of coming out of the closet …
Read more: The sacrament of coming out of the closet …The biggest problem with wearing a mask is that as long as we wear it only the mask receives love. The psychology is as simple as it is diabolical, I know that what I am presenting is not real me, therefore I also know that the person you are loving is not really the real…
Marriage is meaningless …
Read more: Marriage is meaningless …After years of deconstructing both my worldview, my faith, my theology, my sexuality and every other aspect of my faith I have come to this conclusion (among many others to be sure), marriage is meaningless. Marriage has meant many different things in many different times and many different cultures. Most of the time marriage has…
Truth and grace revisited
Read more: Truth and grace revisitedI love my blog readers, they are not many but they are faithful. Recently a new but dear friend has been reading my blog from the beginning, charting the twists and turns of both my life and my faith. This has provoked more than a few very interesting questions. One of the more poignant questions…
Taking the G out of the kingdom ….
Read more: Taking the G out of the kingdom ….I was listening to a Homebrewed Christianity – Theology Nerd Throwdown (TNT) when I was struck with this beautiful idea. It was Tripp Fuller who said (Not the exact quote, though these are his words) If you take the G out of Kingdom you get kindom with no cock and no crown. The kindom of…
A larger container
Read more: A larger containerOften in these theological conversations we are presented with a set of polar opposites. Monica Coleman states in a recent Homebrew podcast that when presented with polarities in conversation all you need is a bigger container. Think of the earth (or the Earth as Jeanine Slettom and John Cobb would have it), a globe with two…
I cannot dance to Pipers tune.
Read more: I cannot dance to Pipers tune.Out of Ur recently posted this outrageous interview with John Piper where Piper states that: “It’s right for God to slaughter women and children anytime he pleases.” I must say that I am flabbergasted with the smile on Pipers face as he makes these horrible claims for god. I have a very hard time believing that…
Wrestling with god.
Read more: Wrestling with god.My good friend Mackan Andersson came by today for a chat and a coffee. He brought me this beautiful one page of a 16th century vulgate bible with a woodcut of Jacob wrestling with god. Reminded him of me he said … And yes that is what it feels like, wrestling with god. Yet I…
The big masturbation post
Read more: The big masturbation postNot so long ago I sat in a room with a group of young Christians, no longer teenagers but rather young adults. We where talking about the bible and Jesus. Was it possible that Jesus could have sinned and what does it mean that Jesus felt every human emotion, did he then lust? Masturbate? The…
Sex at dawn …
Read more: Sex at dawn …I have just finished reading Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan. It may be the first time in a long while that I read a book that so persuasively and thouroughly deconstructs one of the often unspoken meta-narratives of our contemporary culture, namely the hetero-normative monogamy centred narrative of human sexuality. I also realize that this…
Who is queer?
Read more: Who is queer?I am not underprivileged, marginalised or persecuted in any ways. I am a Caucasian, heterosexual male with a DipHE in Theology and Mission. I am employed as a full time minister, doing what I love to do: to teach theology; to build and nurture relationships; to be a sign towards a mystery I may never…
Getting down and dirty with god.
Read more: Getting down and dirty with god.“God is not sexual” my friend stated matter-of-factly. It is odd that he did because he also does not believe in god. How the god he does not believe in can be, or not be, anything is beyond me. It is a common notion though to separate the divine from the worldly. It is even…
The centrality of sexuality
Read more: The centrality of sexualityWhy is this such a big deal? Why does it matter? It should be a non issue! This is what both right wing and left wing, conservatives and liberals are saying all over the place. In churches people are taught that their sexuality, while important, is not essential. Sexuality does not define you, or who…
A mythical childlike faith
Read more: A mythical childlike faithWe have for some time, on my swedish blog, and in our corps, been excavating the Salvation Army’s doctrines. When you talk about the doctrines it easily becomes an abstract discussion far away from any reality we might live in. -Why should it be so complicated? -Why do we find out and know everything? The…
On deep theological waters
Read more: On deep theological watersWhenever I speak about Pirate Theology, I am asked what kind of theology it is. Specifically if it is liberal or conservative (it seems that these two are only viable options in the Swedish discourse right now). When I wrote my series on LGBTQ, one of the comments I received was that I had a “liberal theology”. The…
LGBTQ – Prelogos
Read more: LGBTQ – PrelogosI have written an extensive blog series (12 posts) on my Swedish blog about LGBTQ issues within the church in general and the Salvation Army in Sweden in particular. I was undecided whether or not I should post it in english as well, but when Sven Jungholm asked last week if he could translate and post…
Will the real sodomite please stand up.
Read more: Will the real sodomite please stand up.We are talking about homosexuality, grace, church at the corps right now. It is astounding to note how much bad theology and how sloppy exegesis we have let become the foundation of our stance on the issue of homosexuality. It is scary to realise that we have let a handful obscure (hard to translate with…
Is the evangelical church going to toss out C.S. Lewis?
Read more: Is the evangelical church going to toss out C.S. Lewis?He is definitely one of the great, author, theologian, thinker, philosopher. Lewis is mostly known for the Chronicles of Narnia but in the protestant church many have read Mere Christianity and a handful have ventured into his great discourses on theology like The Problem of Pain and The Great Divorce. My personal favourites are his…
Search
Latest Media Posts
