Art is not Frivolous
This statement was displayed with an art exhibition of mine several years ago. It was a personal statement that the venue asked me to include. It has a central idea that is very important to …
Faith
Hospitality and Love: Learning from a Marine and Beth Moore
This week, I ran across two stories that struck me. They could not be more divergent in some ways, but in other ways, they echoed. Both had to do with faith communities, how one directly …
Everything Comes Back to a Garden
With God, it all comes back to a garden. Humanity, the Bible says, got its start in a garden, a place so perfect that everything was good to eat save one fruit. That fruit, however, …
The Person My Mother Thinks I Am
My mother is fond of telling me, “Scot you’re David!” The David she has in mind is the biblical one. And when she conflates me and King David, I’m positive she is thinking of the …
Between Two Worlds
I grew up on a small ranch in Northern California. My mother, who was raised in rural Tennessee and loved the land, managed the ranch and home. My father was an Appellate Court Judge in …
Alligator Auschwitz and the Rhetoric of Genocide
There has been considerable hysteria surrounding the Trump presidency this year. Honestly, from my perspective, much of it is deserved. There has been no secret about my disagreement with Trumpian politics or MAGA Christianity. But …
Dual Citizenship: What Does it Mean to be a Christian and a Citizen of the United States?
One of my Facebook friends posted a rather bizarre photo a couple of years ago. He and his sons professed a fervent evangelical Christian faith, as well as a strong dedication to the “Tea Party” …
Saying No to Trump and Yes to God: Understanding the Difference Between God and Mammon
I grew up Pentecostal, the kind of Pentecostal that believed God could speak through dreams, tongues, and the occasional awkward silence between altar calls. We were the kind of church folks who believed in the …
Caring Without Credit: A Posture of Humility
A few years ago, I attended a birthday celebration for a loved one with family and friends. One of the women at the party was known to have been battling a serious case of breast …
Thomas Cole: How Artists Communicate Part III
Imagine for a moment you are on a hike through the woods. The sun is barely up as you start your ascent. The air is cool and fresh as you follow a well-worn trail through …