Paris… sigh. I’ve been flirting with this blog post for weeks. I hesitated to write it because I wanted to adequately describe the experiences. Then I realized blog posts are never really finished… Last spring, my wife and I visited Paris. The culture there is unlike any city I’ve visited: Creme Brule, croissants, and espresso shots in the afternoons were blissful. I had the best sleep of my life in a quiet hotel that, two hundred years before, served as a convent for Catholic sisters. Fourteen hours… if you wondered. Of course…
Beyond the Collar: Fostering Genuine Connection in Christian Ministry In the vocation of Christian ministry, one encounters a profound and often paradoxical challenge: the mandate to serve authentically within a context where unspoken expectations can feel as binding as any ecclesiastical decree. With reverence and hope, parishioners frequently imagine their clergy as epitomes of moral clarity, unwavering wisdom, and spiritual serenity. Such elevated views, while rooted in respect, inadvertently prompt clergy to assume a “mask”—a crafted persona that aligns with these idealized expectations yet restricts the freedom of authentic self-expression. Drawing from the depths of Anglican theology…
Memorial Day: The Conflicting Feelings of a Combat Officer By Rian Adams Another Memorial Day is here…. I find myself conflicted as usual. On one hand, I’m very thankful to be counted among the living today. It could have easily gone the other way. I’ll confess that I didn’t sleep last night. I’m well aware of the reason. I remember my friends. This morning I made espresso and took medicine that prevents me from dying of seizures. Thanks, Afghanistan, eye roll. I don’t want to take this medicine…
Reflections on Grace: The 62nd Wedding Anniversary of My Grandparents By The Rev. Rian Adams Today my grandparents, both alive and in good health, celebrate their 62nd wedding anniversary. I learned many lessons about grace as I watched and reflected on their relationship. I woke up early this morning intending to work on my dissertation that, ironically enough, focuses on a theology of mercy. That’s when it hit me; a great way to understand mercy is to reflect on how amazing people have lived their vocations together these past 62 years. Their love has modeled compassion and…
Why I Respect Veterans By Rian Adams I’m thankful that I served the United States, and I proudly respect veterans who served before me, and after me. Recently I realized, yet again, why I respect veterans so much. A few days ago I drove up on a bad wreck, I didn’t know exactly what happened as I approached in my little green pick-up truck with 210,000 miles but I could see a van overturned in the middle of the highway. There were a few people, perhaps five or six gathered around the van…