Rev. Zach

First Presbyterian Lafayette, Louisiana Year C, Ordinary 18 8/01/10 What comes to mind when I say the word “ possessed ”? For many of us who grew up after the advent of such horror films like “ The Amityville Horror ” or “ The Exorcist ,” the word possession can bring up some uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. Perhaps if I ask the question a little differently it might change some of your reactions. What if the word is instead “ possession ”? Now what comes to mind? We live in a world defined by things, for the most part, or by the activities that result in things. Our identities are often more attached to achievements than relationships. Sure, we begin conversations with “What kind of work do you do?” But chances are that those conversations aren’t going to go very far unless the “doing” that is described has some kind of value to us. This is nothing new, literature and social commentary about this goes back to the origin of society and recorded history. John Calvin ...

I've been waiting for this movie to come out on video for some time now. I don't see movies as much as I used to, but this is one I've been waiting for. Fortunately I got to see it on a home theater system. This film is definitely enhanced by larger viewing real estate and surround sound. If you aren't familiar with it, a genetically engineered virus has mutated humanity into vampire/zombie types. Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) is one of the last living humans, and he is working on the cure. It's based on the novel with the same title by Ricard Mathison . There are a few things of interest from the film theologically. Actually there are a ton. The relevance of human contact, concepts of God, the position of hope in human suffering, the expectation of sacrifice upon those who feel compelled to challenge the root causes of suffering, and the significance of community are just a few. Without spoiling the film, I'll just say a thing or two about God's...

I'm up way too late again. I wonder how many blog posts start that way? I'm at a house in Nag's Head in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Funny how God takes things that stand for pain and suffering, like the cross, and turns them into banners for victory. You see I came here for my honeymoon for my first marriage. Neither of us knew what we were doing. We had no business getting maried...both trying to fix ourselves through someone else's affection. I've been divorced from her for 11 years now. Really its almost a dream of a memory at this point. I'm now married to a partner God has called me to be with. I have two beautiful children, and I am sitting here listening to thunder roll past this incredible beach house I am sharing with friends from seminary for a week. Nag's Head has become a sanctuary of sorts for me. I don't know that all this has much to do with finding Christ in the unfortunate, except for the fact that we in this group expre...