Thank you so much for joining me here at The Cottage this year. I’m grateful for long-time readers of the newsletter when it lived on a different platform, and am grateful for new readers who have joined on Substack. And I’m very thankful to the Substack team for awarding The Cottage one of their 2020 writing fellowships.
Your companionship has helped me through this difficult and lonely year. And, from the amazing responses you’ve sent me, it has been gratifying that my words seemed to have helped you through these challenging months, too. My goal has always been to provide angles on faith that you wouldn’t find elsewhere. Smart theological and biblical takes. Compassionate and inclusive spirituality. A place for those questioning, those longing for a generous faith.
As if you dropped in at The Cottage and we just talked about whatever troubled our minds and hearts. Over tea. Surrounded by books. Looking out over the garden.
Next year, I plan to expand The Cottage to include a monthly book club, interviews with other authors in religion and spirituality, “Ask Me Anything” days, and previews of my next book (Freeing Jesus — to be released on March 30). This will also include an option to support The Cottage financially. But rest assured — there will still be free posts and inspirational quotes on faith, politics, culture, and spirituality. I’ll be sharing more information about what’s coming in 2021 — and how you can connect with the additional offerings and content — in the next three weeks.
In the meanwhile, below are the top five posts from 2020. I hope you’ll enjoy reading them again. I’d appreciate it you’d share this round-up with your friends. Invite them to The Cottage.
As always, let me know you liked this post by clicking the “like” icon above — and please leave a comment to share your favorite posts of this year!
The Cottage TOP FIVE POSTS of 2020:
To read each post in its entirety, click on the title.
#5: The Price of Power
When Donald Trump promised his Christian followers “power,” I questioned both the sort of power he wanted and the kind of power Christianity can and should exercise.
“Christianity will have power isn’t the problem. Christianity doesn’t lack for power. Christianity has power. It always has. That’s the heart of the story. The question is, the drama is: What kind of power do Christians choose?”
#4: The Importance of "And"
With the nomination of Kamala Harris as the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee, I ruminated on the small conjunction, “and,” exploring the radical social message of inclusion of the early Christian community from a forgotten ancient creed.
“The first Christian creed – the long-forgotten creed – wasn’t about God. It was about us. Who we are, who matters, and who deserves dignity. The first creed was a statement of human solidarity.”
#3: The Year of No Thanks
It was hard to feel grateful this year. So, I took a look at a verse in the New Testament to give new perspective in advance of Thanksgiving — and offered a prayer that could be said over dinner or in worship.
“The verse says, ‘Give thanks in all circumstances.’ That little Greek word, ‘en,’ means in, with, within, and throughout. It locates us, in the here and now. In the past, in the future. In happiness, in despair. In all things. In all times. In all situations.”
#2: No Pearl-Clutching Allowed
A Religion News Service opinion piece by a well-known journalist choosing not to vote made me mad! In a piece written while still angry, I took on her false equivalence arguments and made a passionate case to vote.
“Voting is more than an individual struggle with conscience. It is a right and responsibility we bear toward one another. What she deigns not to do, others died to do.”
#1: Forty Days
Forty days before the presidential election, I wrote a short piece encouraging you all to think of the time as Lent. What a surprise when that post was shared thousands of times! I received notes from people all over the world who committed to pray for our elections. You all reminded me of the importance to pray and act on behalf of the common good. Thank you for making this post the biggest of the year!
“Your prayers needn’t be dissertations or polished liturgies. Your actions needn’t be earth-shattering. Heartfelt, even wordless, prayers speak magic into the universe. Small actions add up, daily acts compound goodness.”
Although not a “top five” post, it was a joy to share the Advent series with you all — especially to reflect on Madeleine L’Engle’s poetry in relation to this weary year and the coming of Christmas. Blessings to you all for commenting, sending me direct messages, and sharing those poems with friends.
Looking forward to more of your writing in the coming year and I am excited to hear more about your book club! I'm newly ordained, newly retired from teaching, and looking forward to Lent and my first opportunity to preach the entire season.
I am a retired priest recruited to get a small church through the pandemic on ZOOM. I have enjoyed reading you since a mutual friend The Rev. Shawn Carty told me about you and your writings. It has been a confirmation that the whole world wasn't going crazy, that there were still loving thoughts. Somewhere truth was still important and said with grace. I was a Southern Presbyterian, worked at the Methodist Publishing House, taught in Catholic School, became an Episcopal priest. Your writings have helped my preaching this year and more importantly have both challenged and soothed my soul.