Остин|Доран

Two years today, Faith and Caitlin Kadlub were whisked away from our lives. As I sit reflecting upon their absence I am struck with sorrow, loss, pain and agony. I miss the long conversations we shared, imagining our futures and discussing the finer points of a life lived to the glory of our great Lord. Struggling to make sense of why they have been taken from us and how we can survive the despair and sadness of their death, I still can’t believe they are gone from this earth. I hope, even believe that they will return, walk into my life again and we will simply pick up from where we left off. Yet, I find it no small coincidence that the Lord in His divine sovereignty has placed Easter where it lies this year. A time that is reserved for reflection upon Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection poses exceedingly difficult and yet beautiful as I mourn the death of my friends in parallel with this time. So as the sun rises tomorrow morning, revealing the truth of God’s eternal lo...

Maintaining a standard for Christian community and the individuals who claim to ascribe themselves to the morays and moral regulations of a particular Christian subculture is often defended as one of the most essential tasks of church members. Thus, water tight doctrines and operating procedures have been drafted as a means of standardizing and regulating the definition and application of “appropriate Christian behavior”. Standard of Christian Practice These practices though very tangible in some communities such as the church, where they are labeled as church “law,” or in schools where they are known as “Student Life Guides,” they are just as present outside of such formal settings. Throughout the Christian community referred to as “appropriate” dress, actions and behavior. It often falls on the shoulders of officially recognized church leaders and a select few “respected” individuals within the community to be the authority regarding such practices. Overseeing the enforce...

What follows is a blog entry from Rabbi Josh in Boulder, Colorado "There are two tensions in the practice of Mussar that are important for us to talk about. First is the tension between the physical and spiritual dimensions of change. We can change our behavior but not go the next step of transforming ourselves internally. For example, a person might be trying to become more generous (in relationships, with money, etc). Through mussar practice, one could be trained in a kind of Pavlovian way, to perform the right actions. So, you make it a habit to give money, you make it a habit to make sure that people you are in relationship with are taken care of. Yet, internally, your spirit is in rebellion against this and constantly resenting your giving, dubious about the needs of others versus your own needs. This is not the goal of mussar. We are striving to change internally as well - though this may begin with reluctant acts in the physical world. Ultimately, mussar practice is poin...