Van Gennep himself defined rites de passage as “rites which accompany every change of place, state, social position and age.” To point up the contrast between “state” and “transition,” I employ “state” to include all his other terms. It is a more inclusive concept than “status” or “office,” and refers to any type of stable … Continue reading Forsaken Separation
A Short Reflection on Maundy Thursday
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s … Continue reading A Short Reflection on Maundy Thursday
between dusks and dawns
the darkest darknessencircled by the deepest lightholy and blacksaturday followingholyandblack Thursdayholyandblack Fridaythe holyandblack triduum ofbetrayal, violence, and sorrowadorned with brightly colored eggshunting for the goldenmessiah wrapped and unwrappedthe bodysoul deadandaliveproclaiming hope we hopein the love-lit darkness of all theholyandblack days in our holyandblack weekswaiting, yearning, desiringa good news biopsy reporta good news stimulus checka good … Continue reading between dusks and dawns
The Restoration of Holy Week
Note: Originally published on Progressive Southern Theologians on April 18, 2019. And thus our question is: did Christ, the Son of God, rise from the dead on the first day of the week, did He send His Spirit on the day of Pentecost, did He, in other words, enter time only that we may ‘symbolize’ … Continue reading The Restoration of Holy Week
Limit Situations: Not Limiting but Empowering
The liturgy of Holy Week teaches us that a crisis situation (limit situation) can be a defining moment—it can make us or break us. On the first day of the week (now celebrated as Palm Sunday), a few days before Passover, Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing that he was about to fulfil his destiny. He knew … Continue reading Limit Situations: Not Limiting but Empowering
Liminal Theology 