Tag Archives: Evil
Opposing Evil without Becoming It
Scapegoating and the Cross Opposing Evil without Becoming It Tuesday, March 30, 2021 The mystery of the cross teaches us how to stand against hate without becoming hate, how to oppose evil without becoming evil ourselves. We find ourselves stretching in both directions—toward God’s goodness and also toward recognition of our own complicity in evil.… Continue Reading Opposing Evil without Becoming It
A Temporary Solution
Scapegoating and the Cross A Temporary Solution Monday, March 29, 2021 The word “scapegoating” originated from an ingenious ritual described in Leviticus 16. According to Jewish law, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest laid hands on an “escaping” goat, placing all the sins of the Jewish people from the previous year onto the… Continue Reading A Temporary Solution
The Scapegoat Mechanism
Scapegoating and the Cross The Scapegoat Mechanism Sunday, March 28, 2021 Palm Sunday Human nature, when it is seeking power, wants either to play the victim or to create victims of others. In fact, the second follows from the first. Once we start feeling sorry for ourselves, we will soon find someone else to blame,… Continue Reading The Scapegoat Mechanism
What Do We Do with Evil? Weekly Summary
What Do We Do with Evil? Saturday, October 17, 2020 Summary: Sunday, October 11—Friday, October 16, 2020 We don’t seem to understand what evil is, how it operates, or what we can do, personally or collectively, to reduce its power over us and its impact on our world. (Sunday) For Paul, sin is not primarily… Continue Reading What Do We Do with Evil? Weekly Summary
Corporate Evil and Corporate Good
What Do We Do with Evil? Corporate Evil and Corporate Good Friday, October 16, 2020 Both Jesus and Paul radically reframe the human situation and invite us to live a vulnerable human life in communal solidarity with both sin and salvation. Neither sin nor salvation could ever be exclusively mine, but both of them are… Continue Reading Corporate Evil and Corporate Good
Jesus’ Social Program
What Do We Do with Evil? Jesus’ Social Program Thursday, October 15, 2020 Jesus does not directly attack the religious and institutional sin systems of his time until his final action against the money changers in the temple (see Matthew 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46). Because of this, Jesus’ primary social justice critique and action… Continue Reading Jesus’ Social Program
The Spirits of the Air
What Do We Do with Evil? The Spirits of the Air Wednesday, October 14, 2020 It was very difficult to become a Christian if you were a Black man on a slave ship, and the slave ship was called ‘The Good Ship Jesus.’ —James Baldwin (1924–1987) The “flesh” is the second source of evil, deadness,… Continue Reading The Spirits of the Air
An Agreed-upon Delusion
What Do We Do with Evil? An Agreed-upon Delusion Tuesday, October 13, 2020 The world (or “system” as we use the word now) is a hiding place for unconsciousness or “deadness” in the words of Paul. Both Thomas Aquinas and C. S. Lewis taught that the triumph of evil depends entirely on disguise. [1] [2]… Continue Reading An Agreed-upon Delusion
A Negative Matrix
What Do We Do with Evil? A Negative Matrix Monday, October 12, 2020 One reason we lost interest in the concept of sin is because we usually heard it being used to judge, shame, exclude, or control others or ourselves. Seldom was the concept of sin used to bring discernment or deeper understanding, much less… Continue Reading A Negative Matrix
The Nature of Evil
What Do We Do with Evil? The Nature of Evil Sunday, October 11, 2020 Over the years, it has become increasingly clear to me that we are confused about the nature of evil. We don’t seem to understand what evil is, how it operates, or what we can do, personally or collectively, to reduce its… Continue Reading The Nature of Evil