Viewpoints

What is Spirit baptism?

To baptize originally meant “to immerse” or “place into.” Usually. (Etymology can be complicated and controversial stuff.) Some of the oldest “baptism” references we have in the Greek language outside the New Testament are found in descriptions of a ship sinking beneath the water and an ancient pickling recipe. Essentially, to be baptized in the Spirit is to be “pickled” in God’s presence.

Eating mindfully

It was an average supper for us. My partner made potato-leek soup and I put some buns on the table. We said grace and we ate. I liked the soup, so I had a second helping and another piece of bread. It wasn’t long before our soon-to-be-two-year-old was no longer interested in eating and wanted to go outside. I cleaned my bowl, finished the rest of his serving and took him out.

Across generations

Since last summer I have been responding to a rich crop of invitations to discuss healthy ways of grandparenting and relating across generational divides. I’m enjoying the ride. Rewarding conversations with old and young have ensued. I’ve learned about many creative ways grandparents stay in touch with their grandchildren, and I’ve made some new young friends.

Holding on to hope and judgment

Nova Scotia teen Rehtaeh Parsons recently committed suicide after humiliating pictures of her alleged rape and shame flooded social media. While the powers-that-be considered what to do, in a cyber version of frontier justice a loose network of computer hackers known as Anonymous claimed to have discovered the alleged culprits and threatened to go public if the authorities didn’t act.

Creating connections by erasing boundaries

Tom Ehrich is a writer, church consultant and Episcopal priest based in New York. He is the author of "Just Wondering, Jesus" and founder of the Church Wellness Project. His website is http://www.morningwalkmedia.com Follow Tom on Twitter @tomehrpiscopal priest based in New York.

I sat with my gospel choir colleagues, in a pew, while the host choir at Park Avenue Synagogue rehearsed a lovely Psalm setting in Hebrew.

Some sang the Hebrew text with ease, some with difficulty – a reminder that faith generally means learning a language other than one's own.

What are you reading?

“What are you reading?” I’ll ask my mother, a friend or colleague. Partly I’m trolling for good titles, and partly I’m inviting them to tell me about their lives, what they are interested in, moved by, curious about or are learning. We read because it helps us navigate life. We draw from the content of the books to mull over and make sense of life in all its mystery, wonder and complexities.

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