That Coffee House of Grace, Part II

December 22, 2017

          – How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God. A short rhythmic introduction on the bongos is called for here. When I was arrested in San Francisco at the age of 16 they brought me to the juvenile hall. My arrest was accomplished on a Sunday, probably October 15, 1967. I was walking along Haight Street from Golden Gate Park to my shared […]

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Hoping for that Post-Apocalyptic Coffee House of Grace

December 13, 2017

If Christ is for us, who can be against us? Being in the world, but not of the world, occasions some interior conflict at times. It is possible to avoid some of that conflict by giving everything a soft and fuzzy focus; that avoids the harsh criticisms resulting from a spotlight, glaring and unforgiving on the people and acts who are in the world. But that isn’t really love, either. When you put a soft and fuzzy focus on someone […]

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The Coming Millennium Part II-a (Direct Examination of Martin Luther)

October 31, 2017

We begin our questioning of Martin Luther. I note in passing my debt to John Dillenberger’s Edition of the Writings of Martin Luther, upon which I have relied.  In my intellectual life in my mid to late 20’s, everyone was telling me what free will could accomplish.  Only Martin Luther told me what it couldn’t.  The title of his book ‘Bondage of the Will’ was worth a million words of self-help and self-congratulation.  Finally, finally, an adult had entered the […]

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The Coming Millennium, Part 2

September 6, 2017

Theological Foundations of Christian Optimism: Faith, the Vision, Voluntary Self-Government The Faith of Abraham Abraham leaves his tent.  And behold, the word of the Lord came to Abraham, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then he brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And he said to him, “So shall your descendants […]

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The Coming Millenium

August 14, 2017

The Coming Millenium Christian Optimism and the Law  Non in legendo sed in intelligendo leges consistent. (The law consists, not in being read, but in being understood.) Introduction In a pessimistic world, I have an alternative to present. God created this world – it is unreasonable to despair of it. This is not a political program, but a spiritual destination. It is a vision which now invokes law, both in its religious and secular aspect, but in a different way, […]

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If you raised Thomas Jefferson from the dead.

July 14, 2015

To say that we have strayed from our original beliefs and intentions with respect to self-government, is an understatement.  To say that the jurisdiction of the United States federal courts is broader than originally envisioned, is so meekly put as to suggest the hesitant objection of a vassal to his superior, at the time the superior asserted his rights to everything of value the vassal possessed.  If you raised Thomas Jefferson from the dead, and told him that marriage between […]

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PROPOSED PENNSYLVANIA AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

July 11, 2015

PENNSYLVANIA AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION   The people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, being a calm and rational people, worthy and capable of self-government, hereby assert their right to such self-government. a.         Hence, the United States Supreme Court and all inferior federal courts are deprived of any subject-matter jurisdiction in matters pertinent to abortion, to marriage, to gun ownership, to political contributions.  In each of these areas, broadly construed, the citizens of Pennsylvania shall be exclusively vested with […]

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Selling a Shell Game called Property Tax Reform – School Funding in Pennsylvania

April 9, 2014

Why Pennsylvania Property Tax Reforms Never Go Anywhere I have been involved in public education as a volunteer Board Member for many years.  I served on the West Chester School Board for four years, and for almost fifteen years I have been on either the Chester County Intermediate Unit Board (about two years) or the Chester County School Authority Board (the last role, as Chair, for over ten years).   During the entire time, there has been constant political rumblings […]

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