the Essays & Reflections
Author: Paul Prins
-
God loves us, and we will be okay.
In my writing and speaking I focus a lot on the unearned grace, tenderness, and love of God. For in my life, I cannot recall a time I didn’t believe I earned all the affection I received. And was therefore to blame when I felt unloved. I am not the only one with this experience,
-
Paris Liberated 78 Years Ago Today
78 years ago today, Paris was liberated from the Nazi fascists who had spent four years occupying, murdering, and oppressing the people of this city. Political ideologies that wield violence as power must be resisted and condemned.
-
Grace will invite you
In the quiet stillness God awaited me. It was there in a moment that could have easily been lost. Jesus invited me. Invited me to see a life of grace as one of endless invitations. That the reality of grace must first unseat each of the ways I now see myself. For all my weaknesses,
-
Rediscovering the Kingdom of God
When we proclaim the Kingdom of God we tell a bigger story than exchanging sin for salvation. We disclose the reality of an eternal kingdom with Christ as King, that is near and coming. It is the good news.
-
There’s No Fight between Science and the Church
There is not a fight between science and the Church/Theology. Within the decade humanity will likely know life has existed off planet (Mars). The church needs to prepare for this reality. We need to teach that the creation myths in Genesis are not literal, but theological stories.Stories that tell us about relationships with one another/creation,
-
Theology – What is it?
Theology attempts to answer one or more of three questions: 1) How does God relate to people and creation? 2) How do people relate to God? 3) How do people relate to the rest of creation?
-
The Church against Fascism
The future of the Church in the west is at stake. Today we know the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This is in large part because he denounced the fascists of his day while most of the church was silent and complict. I pray that this time there would be too many names to remember as
-
Merry Christmas to All
This night we remember two teens who found themselves alone on a cold night. Alone in the stable. These two faced childbirth without any help. Jesus, Emmanuel, born in the quiet of night. The heavens erupted in praise. The long awaited king has come, humanity and divinity in one. He would proclaimed his kingdom that
-
Practices over Ideas and starting Urban Monasticism
This is the transcript of a talk given earlier in the summer of 2020. I was one of a dozen or so presenters looking at how the church might need to adapt for the future. There is the global pandemic, climate change/catastrophe, beginning of the end of the American Empire, the rapid secularization of the
-
The river of Justice is reaching us all
With all happening in Minneapolis (Justice for George Floyd) and around the country it should be clear. You are either anti-racist, or racist. The years of me believing that racial justice wasn’t my fight are one of the reasons that George Floyd was murdered. I believed passive support of others was enough to bring change,