Righting a wrong in Peru

The British Museum in London

I last traveled to England in 2001 as part of a study trip with Vanderbilt Divinity School. In the course of that trip, I expressed my amazement at the collection housed in the British Museum in conversation to one of our hosts. This host, a young Methodist pastor with something of a snarky personality, said, "Yeah, but none of it is ours. It's just stuff we nicked off of somebody else."

The same could be said for a lot of the historical artifacts housed in museums in Europe and the United States. In the colonial experience of the 19th and 20th centuries, both governments and universities from those nations regularly excavated and transported invaluable archeological findings to be studied and - eventually - kept in their own institutions.

It's a complicated ethical issue to consider now. Such practices were considered as natural as could be at the time. By the thinking of the time, it only made sense to take the findings of exploration and archeology to places where it could be analyzed, interpreted, and preserved. And in truth, a great deal of the archeological record would most likely have deteriorated if it had been left where it was found.

But is it right for such artifacts to stay in the museums where they eventually found a home indefinitely?

I see this as an important question, and its complication comes from the fact that it involves the intersection of international politics, academic standards, and ethics. Many nations who lost parts of their cultural inheritance to the very practices I am talking about have now developed their own cultural heritage programs, complete with departments of academic research within their universities and museums in which to preserve and study artifacts.

Machu Picchu

A perfect example: the well-known Incan site of Machu Picchu, nestled in a part of central Peru where the Andes Mountains meet the Amazon jungle. Machu Picchu was "discovered" by an explorer named Hiram Bingham from Yale University in the early 20th century, who was led to the site by local Peruvian residents of the area. Bingham's work has proved important for Peru's own work in investigating and developing its pre-Columbian history. But Bingham also transported a great deal of the movable artifacts he found at Machu Picchu to New Haven, CT, where Yale University has housed them ever since.

In recent years, the people of Peru have understandably started asking to have the artifacts back. And in a recent news release, it was announced that Yale and the Peruvian government have reached an agreement whereby the Machu Picchu collection at Yale will be returned to its country of origin.

Rev. Pedro Uchuya-Torres

I celebrate the willingness of Yale to return these crucial aspects of Peru's history to its own people. I've actually been to Machu Picchu a number of times myself. It is a spectacular site, and Peru has done a great deal of work in recent years to preserve it. The ongoing archeological work there continues to assist in interpreting Peru's own history, and the addition of the Yale collection will further that important work. A lot of both pre-Columbian and colonial history is also preserved in the national museums in Lima, and those institutions together with archeological sites like Machu Picchu together represent the archeological history of one of the most remarkable countries in the world. That history needs to be kept in Peru itself.

La Centinela, near Chincha Alta

My good friend Pedro Uchuya, a Methodist pastor in Peru, has taken me to another fascinating site near his own hometown of Chincha Alta called La Centinela. In sharing the history of the Chinchan Indians (who were eventually co-opted into the Incan Empire), Pedro has shared his own concern on a number of occasions that the history of his land be preserved. Yale's return of the Machu Picchu artifacts in its possession represents an important step to that end, and I am glad for it.

Repentance is about more than just feeling sorry for a wrong committed. It is about turning around, committing to a new path, and doing what we can to right the wrongs for which we're responsible. In that sense, Yale University is repenting for the actions of Bingham and others who - even though they may have been acting in good faith at the time - took a people's cultural inheritance away from the place where it rightfully belongs.

First Sunday of Advent

A passage on the coming of Jesus Christ by Augustine of Hippo:

"He who is our very life came down and took our death upon himself. He slew our death by his abundant life and summoned us in a voice of thunder to return to him in his hidden place, that place from which he set out to come to us when first he entered the Virgin's womb. There a human creature, mortal flesh, was wedded to him that it might not remain mortal for ever; and from there he came forth like a bridegroom from his nuptial chamber, leaping with joy like a giant to run his course."

- St. Augustine, Confessions, IV.19

The Hogs: Week 13

Today is the final regular season game for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

It won't be the Hogs' final game overall, since their 9-2 record (5-2 in conference) will earn them at least a decent bowl berth. And finishing 10-2 with a victory over the always-tough LSU Tigers might well get them into a BCS bowl. The Hogs would need help, of course, to make their first BCS bowl game. But depending on how Auburn fares against South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game, it is certainly not out of the question.

A couple of points to note on this afternoon's game against LSU in the Battle of the Boot:

First, it is a rivalry that - historically - favors LSU. The Tigers own an all-time record of 34-19-2 against the Razorbacks (including a stretch of 12-0-1 from 1930 to 1965). Arkansas has a managed a 7-11 record against LSU since the teams began playing annually in 1992 when Arkansas entered the Southeastern Conference.

Second, the matchups of the past few years have been among the most exciting in the SEC. In the past five years, every game has been decided by 5 points or less. After two amazing wins in a row in 2007 and 2008, the Hogs lost a true heart breaker last year in overtime as LSU escaped by a score of 33-30.

This is a game almost impossible to predict, given how the teams have played this year. LSU's Les Miles is one of the more baffling head coaches in major college football, prone to odd mistakes in crucial situations but just as able to snatch victories from the seeming jaws of defeat.

The Razorbacks have been up-and-down at times, though this season has to be considered a success on the whole. Arkansas' inability to produce in the second half against Alabama doomed the Hogs in that game, and the fourth-quarter defensive meltdown against Auburn led to defeat in a game that would otherwise have handed Auburn its first (and only) loss of the season. But on the other hand, the Razorbacks have risen to another level since the emergence of Knile Davis as the go-to running back. And the defense has improved over the course of the season as well. This Arkansas team has definitely gotten better as the season has worn on.

"The Boot" Trophy

Before the prediction, a couple of good links: Matt Jones of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette does a good job of pointing out how far Davis has progressed this year, to the point that he should be considered among the SEC's leading RB's. Given that Davis has been often injured in the past, this year is the first time that he's really been able to showcase his talents over an entire season. And if he can stay healthy (which is a big "if," obviously), there is no reason that Davis shouldn't come back next fall to be a top-tier back in all of college football.

Also, ESPN blogger Chris Low has written a nice post on the way in which Saturday's game can be "season defining" for the Hogs if they can come away with a win. The football season has been a different story for Arkansas since that Auburn loss, and the Razorbacks are playing at as a high level now as they have since Head Coach Bobby Petrino took the reins three years ago. A 10-win regular season is tough to get anywhere, but especially in the ruthless competition of the SEC. They can't make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship at this point, but the Hogs still have plenty to play for.

Here's the prediction:

Last week: Arkansas 38, Mississippi State 31 (OT) (My pick: Arkansas 35, Mississippi State 17)

Arkansas' Overall Record: 9-2 (Me: 10-1)

Today's Game: Arkansas Razorbacks Vs. LSU Tigers

Location: War Memorial Stadium - Little Rock, AR

Prediction: Arkansas 31, LSU 28

Reason:
The Arkansas-LSU matchup is never easy to predict. I think it's fair to say that the Battle of the Boot was originally something of a manufactured rivalry, designed to help foster excitement for a game by two SEC West teams without a real 'natural' primary rival in the division -- and complete with an unearned moniker and trophy. (The other four teams in the SEC West have in-state rivalries that represent those teams' most important season-to-season games: Auburn-Alabama in the Iron Bowl and Ole Miss-Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.) But in the past few years, the Battle of the Boot has earned the right to be considered a true rivalry game with a lot of passion on both sides. For the Hogs' part the 2002 "Miracles on Markham" game showed that they should never be underestimated. And the 2007 triple-OT win over LSU in Baton Rouge - the same year LSU nevertheless went on to win the BCS national championship - ranks as one of the best wins for Arkansas football since it entered SEC.


A couple of friends with whom I trade e-mails each week during the football season think that we are going to beat LSU decisively. I wish I had that kind of confidence. Let me say that I do think LSU is due for a reality check. Les Miles' club has caught an awful lot of breaks on its way to a 10-1 record. And I also think that Arkansas is the team that could give them that kind of a comeuppance.

I am going on record to predict a close Arkansas victory. War Memorial Stadium is an excellent home venue for the Hogs. It is a relatively small stadium, with a capacity of only about 55,000. But the bowl-configuration and the excitement that the Little Rock setting brings means that the fans are always rowdy for big games there (and that the atmosphere will be LOUD). That gives the Hogs a definite home field advantage, which I think will prove decisive especially in the second half. Les Miles' unorthodox style sometimes invites criticism, but make no mistake that he is an excellent coach who will have his players ready for this game. In the end, I think Bobby Petrino - no slouch himself in the coaching department - will guide our Hogs to a season-ending win in the fourth quarter. If that happens, then the Hogs can hopefully look forward to a great bowl invitation and will have accomplished another milestone in Petrino's march to the upper echelons of SEC play.

And given that it is probably the final time we'll see QB Ryan Mallett in a regular season game, this game will be one for the history books. In his tenure as the Hogs QB, Mallett has certainly impressed. He's been a joy to watch.

Generation Rising book update

A few days ago, I posted about an upcoming book I've edited that is entitled, Generation Rising: A Future with Hope for the United Methodist Church.


In the lead-up to the April release next spring, I plan to offer updates that will keep readers of this blog abreast of information related to the book.


In the past few days, online booksellers have begun listing Generation Rising on their websites, making the book available for pre-ordering. Both Cokesbury and Amazon now have listings, which you can now access on their sites:

-- Here is the Cokesbury link to the book.

-- And here's the Amazon link as well.

The book's subtitle mentions a hopeful future for the United Methodist Church. What the other 11 authors and I are doing in the book's chapters is to collectively offer a vision for that future. But it's not about just an institutional future. It's about the future of a movement. What we're aiming toward is a future for Methodism itself, as a Spirit-led missional way of life that is seeks to respond faithfully to the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

That way of life can be seen when we embrace the communal Christian practices known as the means of grace.

My hope is that Generation Rising will be a book read by people of all generations who understand themselves as Wesleyans. I also think it will be particularly helpful to read it in communal settings: congregations, small groups, and local church-based classes that want to engage a substantial proposal on how it is that we can be faithful in our own day through drawing from the deep resources of the Wesleyan tradition.

So if you end up using this book in a group setting, let me know how it is received!

With the 'Discussion Questions' at the end of each chapter, Generation Rising is written to push readers toward examining their own practices of discipleship, as well as those of their local faith community. Hopefully, it can contribute to the renewal of Wesleyan mission and ministry in the church as a whole. Methodism has always believed that its calling is to "spread scriptural holiness," and it is my own hope that together we can re-learn the deep implications of what that statement really means.

Happy Thanksgiving

Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
   all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord,
   who made us, is God.

We are his -

   the people of God,

   the sheep of his pasture.

Enter God's gates with thanksgiving,

   and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him and bless his name!

For the Lord is good;

   his steadfast love endures for ever;

   his faithfulness to all generations.

- Psalm 100

The Church: Our Holy Mother

We live in a time when many people see the church as an "optional" aspect of being Christian. Because of that I think it's helpful to look at the way the church is described as fundamental to our faith in Scripture and tradition.

We are probably most familiar with the Apostle Paul's description of the church as the body of Christ, of which all baptized Christians are members (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). But the body of Christ is only one of many important images for the church in Scripture.

An image that does not get emphasized nearly enough is that of the church as our mother. I explore the motherhood of the church in my current column in the United Methodist Reporter. Not only does Scripture refer to the church as our mother (Isaiah 66:7-11; Galatians 4:26; Revelation 12:13-17), but that same affirmation is made repeatedly in the early church fathers. In dealing with a schism that threatened to tear the church apart, St. Cyprian of Carthage (d.258 A.D.) made the statement, "You cannot have God for your father unless you have the Church for your mother" (The Unity of the Catholic Church).

We receive birth from the church through our baptism, and she feeds us throughout our lives through the feast of the Lord's Supper. That means that the church gives us both life and the sustenance needed to sustain life. And it also means that the church is no option - She is the bride of Christ, and the mother of all of us.

Thanks be to God.

Commentary on Arkansas-Miss State

The Arkansas Razorbacks won tonight over Mississippi State by a score of 38-31, in double-overtime.

It was a real nail-biter. In fact, I think this game was one of the most fascinating of the season to me for a number of reasons.

Here's the first: I had the Hogs' offensive output almost pegged (they ended up with 38 points, whereas I had them at 35). It was Mississippi State that I significantly underestimated: I only thought they'd manage around 17 points, whereas they put 31 on the board and very nearly won at the end of regulation. Here's the reason why: Except for a chunk of time in the middle of the second half, Mississippi State dictated the pace of this game. They were able to dominate time of possession and their bread-and-butter running game did (by and large) what it needed to do. HC Dan Mullen went with what he had, and he used his team's talents well.

There were fluke mistakes on both sides of the ball (e.g., Knile Davis' fumble late in the 4th and the MSU running back's fumble into the end zone in the first OT). But in the end, none of the flukes by either team ended up deciding the game. The end of the game was a microcosm of each the game plan that each team knew it would have to rely upon: Arkansas' passing attack and MSU's methodical run-dominated offense. It just turned out that Arkansas managed to eke out the victory in the second OT, thanks to the fantastic final stop by its two stellar DE's.

In short, the game was played as everyone thought it would be. Each team knew its strengths, depended on them, and just lined up to play 4 quarters and 2 OT's of smashmouth football. It was the SEC at its best in that regard.

The second thing I think was interesting was the way in which Arkansas showed the ability to win on the road despite a number of mistakes. For people who follow Arkansas football, it was a sign of how different this team is than last year's squad. In the past, neither Mallett (individually) nor the team (as a whole) really had the ability to get over the hump in games like this on the road.

But not this year. A Mallett interception in the second half, a late-game fumble, and a missed FG in OT were all playing against the Hogs. Plus, the Bulldogs dominated time of possession and the Razorbacks incurred a whole lot more penalty yards. And yet, in the end Arkansas got the victory. This is a different Arkansas Razorbacks football team.

They've now earned road wins over Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi State, plus a neutral-site victory over Texas A&M. When was the last time an Arkansas team had the ability to get that many wins on the road?

And finally, it was nice to see the kind of games turned in by the two Razorbacks I featured in my pre-game blog post. Both RB Knile Davis and TE D.J. Williams had outstanding games. Davis ran for 191 yards, with 2 rushing TDs and 1 receiving TD. Williams caught four balls for 70 yards and a TD, and his TD catch was one of the best runs-after-the-catch that I've ever seen him have.

All in all, it was a hard-fought win and one for which the Razorbacks should be proud. They're now 9-2, with an SEC record of 5-2. The final regular-season contest will be a tough home matchup against LSU in Little Rock.

The Hogs: Week 12

Coach Petrino is not amused

The next two weeks ought to be interesting for the Arkansas Razorbacks and their fans.

After thrashing the Miners of the University of Texas-El Paso last week 58-21, the Hogs travel to Starkville, MS, to take on the #21-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs. And then in the last week of the regular season, Arkansas will face the #5-ranked LSU Tigers in the annual "Battle of the Boot" game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. It's as tough a two-game stretch as Arkansas has had all season.

If the Hogs win out, they'd end up 10-2, winning 10 games for only the second time in the last two decades and putting themselves in prime position for a very good bowl invitation. But it ain't gonna be easy.

Before getting to this weekend's game, I thought I'd highlight a couple of good articles just out on two outstanding players for the Hogs:

First, it was announced this week that senior TE D.J. Williams has won the Disney Spirit Award for the most inspirational figure in college football. D.J. is a truly outstanding guy, who I wrote about on this blog a couple of years ago. I was glad to see him grab two TD passes on Senior Day in the game last week against UTEP. Let's hope he finishes strong and gets a high draft selection to the NFL.

Second, ESPN blogger Chris Low wrote a good piece on RB Knile Davis, who has emerged over the course of the season as the featured tailback in the Arkansas running game. You can read the story at this link. Our poor run offense was one of the things that held the Hogs back during the first half of the season, and they've definitely looked like a more complete team since he started getting the lion's share of the carries. Davis has a very good chance at a 1,000-yard season, and here's the best news: He's only a sophomore.

The game on Saturday against Mississippi State features a matchup of one of the league's best passing teams (the Hogs) against one of its best running teams (the Bulldogs). This is a game the Razorbacks can win, if for no other reason than they can put points on the board faster than the Bulldogs. It's a road game, which is always tough in the SEC. But Coach Petrino & Co. have taken a step up this year in their ability to perform on the field away from home. The key for the Arkansas defense will be in stopping the Mississippi State running attack - no small feat. But with the Hogs playing at their highest level this season, I am optimistic that we can go into Starkville and get the win.

Here's my call:

Last week: Arkansas 58, UTEP 21 (My pick: Arkansas 52, UTEP 14)

Arkansas' Overall Record: 8-2 (Me: 9-1)

Saturday's Game: Arkansas Razorbacks Vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Location: Davis Wade Stadium - Starkville, MS

Prediction: Arkansas 35, Miss State 17

Reason:
If this game had been played a few weeks ago when the Hogs were beset by injuries and the defense looked especially shaky, I probably would have picked Mississippi State. And no doubt, this is going to be a battle. The Razorbacks will have to figure out a way to stop the Bulldogs' ground game and keep them from piling up first downs. Doing that will give Ryan Mallett and the offense more chances to score. A high-scoring game definitely favors Arkansas in this one, and it's worth noting that the Hogs have been held to less than 30 points only twice all season. Since Arkansas' own ground attack has stepped up to balance out the passing offense, the Hogs have looked close to unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball. I think the Razorbacks are going to win going away, setting up a battle royale against LSU the following week to determine who gets to carry home the Boot for the next year.

Thursday Miscellanies

Here are a few stories that have caught my eye over the past few days...

-- For the second time in recent weeks, the Rev. Dan Dick, Director of Connectional Ministries for the Wisconsin Annual Conference, has published an excellent commentary in the United Methodist Reporter. Dick's column, "Have we devalued membership?",  explores the watered down sense of accountability and expectations in the UMC's current membership practices. Dick offers both diagnosis and prescription for the problem he sees, including these challenging closing words: "Being a Christian disciple comes with some demands. It is up to each individual to decide whether they want to meet those demands, but this is their choice. The body of Christ needs to be clear that membership in the body means something, and that all are welcome - as long as they are willing to take seriously the promises they made to God and the community of faith."

-- Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., wrote an insightful piece for the current issue of the magazine Circuit Rider where he looks at how our ordination process could be reformed to better support the ongoing pastoral formation of clergy in the years following their commissioning and ordination. The article is entitled, "Under Pressure: How Effective Is the Provisional Ordination Process?" and a pdf of it can be downloaded at this link. From my own experience and from the experience of many young adult clergy I know, I think the kind of ongoing formation Dr. Weems is proposing would be a tremendous benefit. And if it would be a benefit for the clergy, it would only be more so for the congregations they serve.

-- In the current issue of Good News Magazine, Heather Hahn has an informative article on small group accountability groups entitled, "The laity and revival." She looks in particular at a recent Nashville workshop led by Dr. Scott Kisker (of Wesley Theological Seminary) and Dr. Steve Manskar (of the General Board of Discipleship), who are both leading figures in the history and practice of Methodism's class meeting.

-- Apparently Prince William and (future) Princess Kate have finally decided to tie the knot. Good for them! I was really hoping they'd work out. I think they'll make fine monarchs some day. Now I'll just wait for my wedding invitation...

The Hogs: Week 11

Zach Hocker boots it through

I was downright ambivalent about the Hogs' prospects last week against South Carolina. And while I did, in the end, correctly predict an Arkansas victory, I never once thought that the Hogs would so thoroughly dominate the Gamecocks in practically every aspect of the game.

The final score was Arkansas 41, South Carolina 20. But the game wasn't even that close. A late fumble by backup QB Tyler Wilson resulted in a meaningless defensive score for the Gamecocks. Without that mistake, the Hogs would have won by four TDs. After the game, Coach Steve Spurrier said that Arkansas was as good a team as the Gamecocks have faced all season.

Last week's game also showed some of Arkansas' real strengths. As I predicted in last week's post, the injury to WR Greg Childs did, indeed, open the door for WR Cobi Hamilton to emerge as a legitimate go-to receiver on deep passing routes (Hamilton finished with 111 receiving yards). RB Knile Davis continued to show that he is well-suited to anchor the Hogs' running attack (finishing with 110 yards and 3 TDs on the ground). And Hogs' fans had a lot to be happy about with the continued success of true freshman PK Zach Hocker (who booted FGs of 41 and 51 yards). For Ryan Mallett's part, the star QB seemed to be fully recovered from mid-season injuries by passing for 303 yards and looking both accurate and comfortable throwing from the pocket.

So here's where we stand: 3/4 of the way through the season, our Arkansas Razorbacks have a 7-2 record. They can't make it to the SEC Championship Game due to their 4-2 conference record, but they do have the potential to finish with 10 wins. Finishing with a 10-2 record would put the Hogs in line for a very good bowl bid - certainly the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, and with a little help, possibly the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. But it will be tough: Arkansas would need to beat #19-ranked Mississippi State on the road and #5-ranked LSU in the annual Battle of the Boot on Thanksgiving weekend in Little Rock.

This week the Hogs face the University of Texas-El Paso Fightin' Miners. Who is UTEP, you ask? Good question. The University of Texas-El Paso is part of the University of Texas system. The Miners play in Conference USA and currently own a record of 6-4 (3-4 in conference play). They are coached by Mike Price, who has the dubious distinction of having served as the head coach for Alabama for about 6 months in 2003. (Price was fired before ever coaching a game.)

As an interesting bit of trivia, the size of UTEP and the University of Arkansas is almost exactly the same: Wikipedia's statistical information for the two schools shows Arkansas with a student body of 21,406 and UTEP with a student body of 21,011. UTEP is also the largest American university with a majority Mexican-American population (with 75% of its student body).

If the information on "Results by Opponent" at the Hog Database is correct, this will be the first time the Hogs have faced the Miners on the gridiron. Don't look for it to end well for UTEP. Here's the prediction:

Last week: Arkansas 41, South Carolina 20 (My pick: Arkansas 35, South Carolina 24)

Arkansas' Overall Record: 7-2 (Me: 8-1)

Saturday's Game: Arkansas Razorbacks Vs. Texas-El Paso Miners

Location: Razorback Stadium - Fayetteville, AR

Prediction: Arkansas 52, UTEP 14

Reason:
Simply put, these two teams aren't in the same class. I'm sure the Miners will play hard, but a team that has lost to the likes of Alabama-Birmingham, Tulane, and Marshall, is not likely to fare well against the Hogs. Arkansas should be able to name its own score in this one. I don't expect the starters to play the entire game, but frankly a second-string Hogs offense led by QB Tyler Wilson should still be able to put points on the board in the second half. This game should be a good preparation for the final two conference games of the season. Let's just hope we don't get any needless injuries to our key players on either offense or defense.

An exciting new project

I've got some news to report that I'm very excited about!

In April of next year, Abingdon Press is going to publish a book I've edited, entitled, Generation Rising: A Future With Hope For The United Methodist Church. The book cover can be seen at right.

Generation Rising will be the fruit of a project that has been in the works since last year. I think it will be a good resource for personal reading and reflection. But even more than that, it is geared for congregational and small group use.

The premise of the book is basically this: 12 authors from the Generation X cohort who present a vision for the Wesleyan future of the United Methodist Church. This is not a book about 'fixing' a denomination. It is, instead, a vision for how the Wesleyan mission of Methodism can live in the present through a deeply committed form of faith grounded in the means of grace.

The contributors represent a diverse cross-section of young leadership in the church. They come from north, south, east, and west, and their experience ranges from pastoral ministry in local congregations, to youth & young adult ministries, to overseas missions, to seminary teaching.

Chapters are geared toward pastors and laity in the local church. The material the chapters contain is rich in terms of looking at where we've come from, who we are, and who we can be by the grace of God. Each chapter also contains a set of questions designed to help facilitate reflection and conversation by individual readers and in small groups.

As a bit of a preview, here's the Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 - "Discipleship: Christian Life and the Means of Grace" (by Andrew C. Thompson)

Chapter 2 - "Holy Communion: Take and Eat, Taste and See" (by Timothy Reinhold Eberhart)

Chapter 3 - "Preaching: Telling the Story in a Sound-Bite Culture" (by Joy Jittaun Moore)

Chapter 4 - "Evangelism: Leaning Toward both God and the World" (by Jeffrey Conklin-Miller)

Chapter 5 - "Small Groups: Bearing One Another's Burdens" (by Kevin M. Watson)

Chapter 6 - "Missions: Letting the Gospel Translate Us" (by Arnold Oh)

Chapter 7 - "Race: Grace and Unity in the Post-Civil Rights Era (by F. Douglas Powe, Jr.)

Chapter 8 - "Ecology: Salvation In, Through, and For All Creation" (by Presian Burroughs)

Chapter 9 - "Youth Ministry: Reclaiming the Art of Confirmation" (by Sarah Arthur)

Chapter 10 - "Young Adults: Members of the Body" (by Julie O'Neal)

Chapter 11 - "Ordination: Calling(s) to Ministry in a Postmodern Church" (by Eric Van Meter)

Chapter 12 - "Internet Ministry: Delivering the Message in Cyberspace" (by Shane Raynor)

I'll plan to blog more about the book in the coming months. If you think it looks like a good resource for your small group, Sunday school class, or congregation, I hope you'll consider using it when it comes out next spring.

I think the experience of the writing team - and the perspectives they offer - make this one of the more interesting projects on the possibilities for Wesleyan renewal in the UMC that I've seen. The generational perspective helps a lot too, in that it represents a rising group of leaders in the church whose voices need to be heard.

This is a hopeful book, written by twelve Generation X Christians in the UMC who believe that God is not done with the People called Methodists yet. Not by a long shot, in fact. "For surely I know the plans I have for you," God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah, "Plans for your welfare and not for harm..."

"... to give you a future with hope!"

The Hogs: Week 10

Look out for Boss Hog

Just when I was starting to wonder about Ryan Mallett's durability after getting knocked out of the previous two games, he explodes for a career-high 409 yards against Vanderbilt last week.

I questioned the Razorbacks' ability to cover a 3-TD spread and thought they'd win a somewhat closer game against the Commodores. The final score? Arkansas 49, Vanderbilt 14. Way to go, Hogs!

The game was not without negative consequences for the rest of the season, though. Top WR Greg Childs was sidelined for the rest of the season with a patellar tendon injury that will require surgery and months of rehab. That's a tough loss for the Razorbacks, who have looked to the 6'3" Childs as their best deep threat all season. He has shown NFL skills in his ability to go up and snare balls over the heads over shorter D-backs. His loss will be felt.

Unfortunately, it doesn't get any easier for the Razorbacks in the coming weeks. Three of the next four games are against top-20 teams: the Hogs face South Carolina on the road today; they travel to Starkville to take on a resurgent Mississippi State on Nov. 20th; and they face LSU in Little Rock on Nov. 27th in the annual Battle of the Boot. Seeing Mallett back on his game and relatively healthy for the Vandy game was encouraging, because they are going to need every available weapon for the schedule ahead.

South Carolina Gamecocks

This week's test is against South Carolina - the only team to beat Alabama so far this year. I think there are a few interesting points to note with regard to the Arkansas receiving corps for the game this Saturday against South Carolina.

First, a question: How will Joe Adams play, assuming he is fully recovered from the ankle injury he sustained against Ole Miss? Adams is the Razorbacks' most explosive receiver after the catch. His record-setting 97-yard punt return-TD against the Rebels was a thing of beauty. If Adams can play at full speed, it could certainly help make up for the loss of Greg Childs in the lineup.

Second, I have a bit of a prediction about another way the Hogs will try to cope with the loss of Childs. Look for them to compensate for his deep-threat ability by using 6'3" WR Cobi Hamilton more extensively. Hamilton is sometimes cited as a player who doesn't take football as seriously as he should, indicating that the sophomore maybe has some maturing yet to do. But it has also been suggested that he has the best natural skills of any receiver on the Arkansas roster. With the Hogs needing a tall WR with good hands running deep routes in the absence of Childs, this could be a potential breakout game for Hamilton.

The Ol' Ball Coach

As far as the overall prediction for the game goes, the weak South Carolina pass defense definitely bodes well for the Hogs. Even with some injuries, Ryan Mallett will have plenty of people he can target. We need Knile Davis to continue to help us out in the run game - a challenge against an SC defense that actually is quite good at stopping the run.

On the other side, I think we've got to remember exactly what the Gamecocks are playing for. Coach Steve Spurrier is in his sixth year as the HC at South Carolina. He's brought the program up to a level it isn't used to seeing, but he's never managed to win the SEC East. With East rivals Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee all having down years, this is the best chance the Ol' Ball Coach will probably have to make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. Sitting at 4-2 in the conference (and 6-2 overall), the Gamecocks control their own destiny. Believe that they're gonna be ready to play by kickoff tonight.

In terms of personnel, I think the Razorbacks are the better team. But the best team doesn't always come away with the victory. There are always other factors at play: Mindset and momentum, location (home/road), preparation, and game plan. The last time the Hogs went on the road, they ran into the Cam Newton Express at Auburn and saw their defense exposed. The following week's victory against Ole Miss masked another poor outing by DC Willy Robinson's defensive unit. South Carolina's QB Stephen Garcia doesn't possess the combination of run/pass ability that Cam Newton and Jeremiah Masoli do, of course. But then again, Garcia is complimented by an outstanding RB in Marcus Lattimore and a top-notch WR in Alshon Jeffery. Plus, they've got the Ol' Ball Coach himself putting together the game plan for how to beat the Hogs and take the next step to winning the SEC East. On the Hogs' side, they've shown they have the ability to beat the Gamecocks regularly: They own an 11-7 all-time record against South Carolina, and they've won 3 of the last 4 matchups.

I'd like to see Arkansas get a big win over a top-20 opponent on the road, but I'm not entirely convinced it's going to happen this weekend. I've gone back-and-forth with my thoughts on this all week long. But in the end, I'm a diehard Arkansas fan and I want to believe that this is the moment for Bobby Petrino and Co. to get a signature SEC road win this season. (As a bonus link, check out this great article from the USA Today on Coach Petrino's tenure at Arkansas.)

So with all that said, here's the prediction:

Last week: Arkansas 49, Vanderbilt 21 (My pick: Arkansas 35, Vanderbilt 21)

Arkansas' Overall Record: 6-2 (Me: 7-1)

Saturday's Game: Arkansas Razorbacks Vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

Location: Williams-Brice Stadium - Columbia, SC

Prediction: Arkansas 35, South Carolina 24

Reason:
I hope this doesn't turn out to be a sentimental pick. The length of this post should point to how difficult a game this one is to call. You've got two great coaches, two teams with a lot to play for, and a bunch of great players in the skill positions on both sides. I think a lot of the outcome is going to hinge on how the South Carolina defense fares against Arkansas' passing attack, and how the Hog defense can stand up to the SC running game. To me that makes it something of a toss-up, but I'm going to go with the Hogs. A win here puts Arkansas in prime position for a January 1st bowl game.

Thoughts on grief & death

In my current article in the United Methodist Reporter, I reflect on the reality of grief and death in our lives.

In my years as a pastor, I've heard lots of things said during times of profound grief that are meant to be comforting. But all too often, these reflect views that are really at odds with the way we're called to think about death as Christians.

The remarkable thing to me about the way the Scriptures help us to think about death is that it is not simply a matter of our souls escaping our bodies at death and going to live in an immaterial heaven forever. Instead, the New Testament view of death is one that is fundamentally connected to Jesus Christ's own death - and more than that, with his resurrection as well.

We should not be fatalistic about death, nor should we have a "thin" understanding of it that depicts death as a tragically necessary process that gets us to heaven. And while pain, death, and grief will raise questions in our minds about why such things happen in a world created by a good and loving God, the Scriptures and the Christian tradition have much to offer in this area that will help us, if we'll only engage with them.

Personally, I think there are a couple of things we should always put at the center of our thinking and reflecting on death and grief. The first is that these are things that must be done in the church, where we are called to be a true community rather than a collection of isolated individuals.

And the second thing is that we are a people who have been given a great hope - a hope so great, in fact, that the gift of it gives us the ability to wait for God's final unfolding of the new creation with patience. It is the twin themes of hope and patience that I try to address in more detail in my current column.

All Saints Day

A Prayer for All Saints Day:

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

- Book of Common Prayer, p.245

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter or our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God."

- Hebrews 12:1-2 (NRSV)