Reclaiming Santa Claus!

You think I’m a fraud, don’t you? [Kris Kringle] Fraud is a bit too strong of a word. [Dorey Walker] But you don’t believe in me. [Kris Kringle] I believe that Christmas is for children. [Dorey Walker] Well your daughter doesn’t believe in me, either. [Kris Kringle] I don’t think that there’s any harm in [...]

Where two or three are gathered

Films as (re)source for Theology

Film-experience is at the heart of contemporary culture. A film is primarily meant for entertainment but a ‘film is never only a film”. Joel Martin contends, “Films, as with other cultural forms, have the potential to re-inforce, to challenge, to overturn or to crystallize religious perspectives, ideological assumptions and fundamental values” [Joel W. Martin 1995:1] [...]

God and the Universe

It is sad that our everyday experiences do not enrich our spirituality, much less our theology. We don’t look at the star-littered night sky and make theological assertions as much as we do on a Sunday morning service during ‘praise and worship’ (at least this is my experience). But, the psalmist could sing God’s praises [...]

Let’s get Real!

We live in a world of lies, spin and deceit. People say to you things that they don’t mean. They tell other people things about you that aren’t true. Everything is given a spin. Insignificant things are hyped and then presented as a grand spectacle. A word is no longer a word. A promise is [...]

Butterfly kisses by Bob Carlisle

Watch this amazing video here’s two things I know for sure: She was sent here from heaven and she’s daddy’s little girl. As I drop to my knees by her bed at night She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes and I thank god for all the joy in my life Oh, but [...]

Familiar Strangers: Cinema, Coffee and Theology…

by Samuel Thambusamy Movies have become part of our lives and they (re) shape us – our values, our beliefs, our character (for the better or worse). I wonder why we don’t enage in a conversation on films and help young people reflect on the movies they watch. Robert Johnston (Professor of Theology and culture [...]

Without words…

I used Rabindranath Tagore’s work Gitanjali for my meditation this week. I have always found Gitajanli very insightful… particularly these words resonated with my heart and mind…. I boasted among men that I had known you. They see your pictures in all works of mine. They come and ask me, `Who is he?’ I know [...]

Attacks against Christians: What is our reponse?

I am appalled at the rampant insensitivity in most Indian-Christian responses to the gross human rights violation in Orissa. In 1999, We didn’t know how to respond to the attacks against the Church in Gujarat. It’s been almost a decade now and We still haven’t learnt to respond to attacks against hapless tribal christians. We [...]

Contemporary Preaching: Restatement or Reflection?!

I have always wondered why we don’t find any reflection of what we believe in. All we find is restatements – mostly denominational and/or cultural.  I have been reading the book, ‘ God is not Great: How Religion poisons everything’ and I thought Chris Hitchens possibly gives us a clue. We may not agree with [...]