Barnabas File

(Spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker are included.) A friend once said, “In science fiction, no one is ever really dead.”  Through various plot twists and unique manipulation of natural laws, writers always find ways for deceased characters to return.  The Christian faith affirms that we are physical beings with an eternal spirit.  Christians affirm that those who have gone on before us not only live in our memories, but they are eternal beings who abide now with God. Even though George Lucas was not attempting to reflect Christian belief in his original Star Wars trilogy, in several instances those who have passed are still present and manifest themselves to the living when necessary.  The first to show himself was Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope , but in subsequent films Yoda and Anakin Skywalker appear to our protagonists. These are called “force spirits” or “force ghosts.” In Star Wars, force spirits are individuals who gained imm...

(Some spoilers for Star Wars:     The Rise of Skywalker here.) When he designed the original Star Wars trilogy, George Lucas included a number of themes that speak to the basic concerns of humanity.  Although set “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,” the protagonists are human beings dealing with universal human concerns.  One of these is family. In a similar way, the Bible tells the story of family--a biological family as well as the family of God.  Starting out with Abram and Sarai, we learn the stories of a very dysfunctional family.  They have problems with procreation, brother fights against brother, brothers sell a brother into slavery, and brother redeems and forgives.  The book of Genesis might well be titled “Observations of a Dysfunctional Family.”  The contention of sibling against sibling as well as rebellion against the Heavenly Father fills the rest of the Hebrew Bible. The Star W...

Although Bible commentators suggest that Luke was probably writing his gospel for a Gentile audience, the first chapter of the gospel links directly with the Hebrew Bible and prophecy.  Zechariah and Elizabeth are a righteous couple from priestly lineage who represent the best of that tradition.  There is a bit of humor in Zechariah’s encounter with the Angel Gabriel, his voice being silenced due to his doubt, and an older couple finding themselves pregnant, but the task they receive is serious--they will give birth to and nurture the new Elijah, forerunner of the Messiah. Elizabeth and her husband represent several things that we should take seriously as we consider the role of senior adults in the church today. First, they represent communal memory.  They remind us from where we have come. Senior adults today provide link to the rich heritage of faith not only of the Hebrew tradition but now the 20 centuries of Christian faith and practice. ...

In a recent webinar, Jim Kouzes said, “The question I get most often is: ‘Are leaders born or made?’     My response is always, ‘Yes, every leader is born.’”     He also shared research that indicated the overall percentage of people who have no leadership ability at all is 0.00013 percent!    That comes out to about one person in a million. Kouzes’ perspective is that practically everyone has the ability to become a leader.  He and his collaborator, Barry Posner, have developed a model of leadership development around five fundamentals of becoming a leader: Believe in yourself Aspire to excel Challenge yourself Engage support Practice deliberately The webinar I watched addressed the fourth fundamental--Engage Support.  Kouzes explained that becoming a leader is not a singular pursuit but one that takes place in a community of meaningful relationships.  If you want to develop leaders in your organization, ...

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” is a remarkable film.     This retelling and revisioning of Fred Rogers’ encounter with a jaded writer for Esquire magazine requires one to hold reality a bit loosely, but the relationships and personal challenges it addresses are rooted deeply in reality. There is not a lot one can say about this film without spoiling it for the prospective viewer so let me place in within a context that pastors, clergy, and chaplains--those who practice pastoral care--will appreciate.  The New York Times review by A. O. Scott begins with this statement: “‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ celebrates the virtues of patient listening, gentleness and the honest expression of feelings.” For me, this is what pastoral care is all about. Fred Rogers was, as you probably know, an ordained Presbyterian minister.  His congregation was young children and their families.  His pulpit was the television screen, a medium...