Welcome to the conclusion of my book, The Generous Soul. If you are late to this project you can find all the preceding chapters at this link. The Generous Soul is free for you to read or reference in teaching, but not to print or download in any format. Note that footnote references appear as full sized numerals in the text rather than superscripts. I especially think the appendix is good if I may pat myself on the back. The issue of poverty is always with us, to play off the words of Jesus, so it is important to think through whether poverty is inherently more spiritual than wealth. That subject is tackled in the appendix.
Following Jesus out of the American civil religion
As followers of Jesus Christ we face concerns of religious freedom on a regular basis. The role of religious life here and around the world being what it is, these kinds of concerns are never far from my mind. When election cycles cross swords with the calendar the most vicious attacks and reckless hyperbole seem to find their way onto Facebook, Twitter, blogs, forums, television and radio. In many instances those who claim a religious heritage built of the teachings of Jesus Christ vacillate between love and hate for months. Or at least hatefulness. It can get wearisome and wearying. This post is being reprinted from an old blog. It was written prior to the 2008 election, so it seems appropriate. I have edited only to tighten up any tenses that may have changed, and added a brief addendum and some questions. I hope you enjoy it.