Ein Prosit: A Conversation about Martin Luther Appetizer: Pretzel rolls with Beer Cheese Dip It’s the 500th anniversary of one of the most paradigm-altering phenomena of Western Christianity: the Reformation. The Reformation was actually quite a complicated event, with many different actors, motives, and changes at play. To focus for tonight, we’re going to concentrate on the primary character who jump-started the whole thing: Martin Luther. Martin Luther lived in the 16th century, in an age when the church was heavily involved in the 10/16/2017
Appetizer: Pretzel rolls with Beer Cheese Dip It’s the 500th anniversary of one of the most paradigm-altering phenomena of Western Christianity: the Reformation. The Reformation was actually quite a complicated event, with many different actors, motives, and changes at play. To focus for tonight, we’re going to concentrate on the primary character who jump-started the whole thing: Martin Luther. Martin Luther lived in the 16th century, in an age when the church was heavily involved in the
Comfort Food We’ve just been through a traumatic month as a city. Harvey affected all of us in different ways, but what was perhaps most frustrating about it was the sheer randomness of it. Some people were safe and dry with air conditioning and food in their apartments, and literally a block away others were being rescued from rooftops. There was no fairness in who got flooded and who didn’t, no rhyme or reason. Sometimes one block would be devastated and the next fine. That kind of experience leaves 09/17/2017
We’ve just been through a traumatic month as a city. Harvey affected all of us in different ways, but what was perhaps most frustrating about it was the sheer randomness of it. Some people were safe and dry with air conditioning and food in their apartments, and literally a block away others were being rescued from rooftops. There was no fairness in who got flooded and who didn’t, no rhyme or reason. Sometimes one block would be devastated and the next fine. That kind of experience leaves
Gastrochurch Hurricane Party Our gastrochurch by the bay has officially been crashed this year by a large storm named Harvey. While Harvey is not exactly a welcome guest, it’s a good opportunity to remember that storms play an important role in the scriptural story. One of the archetypal stories of Genesis is the story of the flood: when God is so disappointed in the sinfulness of the human heart that he tries to cleanse the earth with water. Then there is the story of Jonah: a runaway prophet whose flight is stopped by a 08/24/2017
Our gastrochurch by the bay has officially been crashed this year by a large storm named Harvey. While Harvey is not exactly a welcome guest, it’s a good opportunity to remember that storms play an important role in the scriptural story. One of the archetypal stories of Genesis is the story of the flood: when God is so disappointed in the sinfulness of the human heart that he tries to cleanse the earth with water. Then there is the story of Jonah: a runaway prophet whose flight is stopped by a
Refreshed Appetizer: Caprese bites and watermelon-cucumber bites I studied Shakespeare in college. (Yes, I’m THAT kind of awesome.) One particular sonnet was quoted so often I nearly memorized it: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day/Thou are more lovely and more temperate. It wasn’t until I visited England during a cool August that I understood the kind of summer days Shakespeare was referring to. Their summers are kind of like our Novembers. Nobody in Texas would write a love poem comparing their 07/24/2017
Appetizer: Caprese bites and watermelon-cucumber bites I studied Shakespeare in college. (Yes, I’m THAT kind of awesome.) One particular sonnet was quoted so often I nearly memorized it: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day/Thou are more lovely and more temperate. It wasn’t until I visited England during a cool August that I understood the kind of summer days Shakespeare was referring to. Their summers are kind of like our Novembers. Nobody in Texas would write a love poem comparing their
Holy Guacamole Appetizer: Guacamole and chips I’ve wanted to do an avocado gastrochurch for a while now. I eat roughly the equivalent an avocado a day, so you might say I have a deep-seated love affair with this fruit. So I set the menu and started researching a possible spiritual connection. Obviously, there were no avocados in first century Palestine, so I started looking at poetry, mythology, symbolism, etc. in Central and South America. The only thing I uncovered was that avocados in Central and South 06/20/2017
Appetizer: Guacamole and chips I’ve wanted to do an avocado gastrochurch for a while now. I eat roughly the equivalent an avocado a day, so you might say I have a deep-seated love affair with this fruit. So I set the menu and started researching a possible spiritual connection. Obviously, there were no avocados in first century Palestine, so I started looking at poetry, mythology, symbolism, etc. in Central and South America. The only thing I uncovered was that avocados in Central and South
Forbidden Foods Appetizers: Bacon-wrapped jalapenos Our theme tonight is forbidden foods from the book of Leviticus. Leviticus isn’t exactly the most popular book in the Bible. I have talked to so many young people who are trying to read the whole Bible. They start with Genesis and think, I got this. Then they get to the second half of Exodus and slow down a bit with the building of the tabernacle. When they hit Leviticus, it’s all over. The reason it’s so unpopular is because it’s a book of rules. Leviticus 05/30/2017
Appetizers: Bacon-wrapped jalapenos Our theme tonight is forbidden foods from the book of Leviticus. Leviticus isn’t exactly the most popular book in the Bible. I have talked to so many young people who are trying to read the whole Bible. They start with Genesis and think, I got this. Then they get to the second half of Exodus and slow down a bit with the building of the tabernacle. When they hit Leviticus, it’s all over. The reason it’s so unpopular is because it’s a book of rules. Leviticus
