Here I offer links to my past "musings", and other writings, on a variety of topics. I've been posting weekly articles for eleven years: this list consists of pieces that drew significant comments from readers, or that cover topics that I think are of enduring significance.
Writing is one of my spiritual disciplines. Often I don't know clearly what I'm feeling or thinking until I put my fingers to the keyboard. "Musings" has been a way to maintain conversation with friends and colleagues in places far-flung from mine. And it is my attempt to contribute to the progressive Christian movement world-wide. If my "musings" can be useful to lay people who are trying to find a new way to practice and express their spiritual journeys, if quotes or ideas from my writings are put to use by preachers, writers, and activists, then I'm thankful to be helpful in this way. I'm grateful to be a part of such a soulful, thoughtful community of friends who continue to shape so much of what I write!
My books on progressive Christianity are in print and available at Amazon:
OPEN CHRISTIANITY: Home by Another Road (2000) -- This is still in use by individuals and study groups as a "primer" on theologically and socially progressive Christian faith.
BIRDLIKE AND BARNLESS: Meditations, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians (2008) -- This is a "book of common prayer" for progressive Christians, including meditations, liturgies, prayers, and new lyrics for old hymns. A selection of my "musings" appears in this book.
HITCH-HIKING TO ALASKA: The Way of Soulful Service (St Johann Press: 2013), celebrates and explores service as a spiritual practice. How can spiritual practice (whether or not it is formally religious) help me to help others better? How can I "hang in there" in service, when the going gets tough? How can I grow in faith through service? How can I go deeper in helping relationships?
SOULJOURN, a novel, is my latest book (Patheos Press: 2013 - paperback or ebook). It's a conversation-starter on world religions as they manifest in America. It's the story of Joshua T. Stoneburner, a teenager who goes on a wild quest to encounter people of as many faiths as he can find. His "souljourn" leads him into spiritually-centered work for social justice. The novel inspires readers to do what Josh did, and visit houses of worship of traditions other than their own. See more at the Souljourn blog site at Patheos.com.
DEEPER LOVE: Faithful Rhetoric for Progressive Social Change (St Johann Press, 2016). I wrote/edited this handbook for Progressive Christians Uniting. It is a handbook for activists, offering both content and structure for progressive Christian rhetoric in the public sphere.
MINDFUL CHRISTIANITY: (St Johann Press, 2017). My latest book reveals how mindfulness as it is defined in secular terms has always manifested in Christian mystical spirituality. It is a guide to mindful prayer practice, and it reveals how this mystical perspective informs a progressive form of the faith.
My main website is MINDFULCHRISTIANITY.ORG .
Jim Burklo on Youtube:
Rev. Jim Burklo interviewed Nov 2013 by Dr Varun Soni: SOULJOURN: the novel
Introduction to Christian Spirituality - taught by Jim Burklo at USC, Fall 2013:
Selected "Musings" by topic:
What Is Progressive Christianity?
Progressive Christian Unapologetics
Progressive Christianity: a State of the Union address
How to live as a Christian without having to believe the unbelievable
Progressive Christianity: Q and A The Four Spiritual Awes (a "tract" for progressive faith)
The Church: A Fitness Center for Love
Progressive Christian Elevator Speeches
Fearless Sunday: a day for theological "outing"
Coffee Hour: America's True Religion
The Bible and Religious Pluralism
What Muslims Do When They Lose Their Keys - on religious pluralism
Inside Out (a meditation on the future of the church)
The Arts of Compassion:
Liturgy, Ritual, Drama:
Jim Burklo's Book of Common Prayer - liturgical elements
The Wise Man's Confession (Christmas)
Water Into Wine (meditation on communion)
The Vine (words of institution for communion)
But or And? (a play for worship)
The Meeting of Rumi and Shams (a play for worship)
Matthew 13 Revisited (a play for worship)
A Sermon for Sneetches (a poetic sermon for kids and adults)
New Songs (poetic litanies)
Songs and Hymns:
Faith and Social/Political Action:
Samaritan Care: Study on Health Care
Gatherings: A Manifesto on community-building
Biblical Voters' Guide
Blessing of the Taxes
VOTIVATOR: inspiring each other to vote by sharing our choices
Civil Initiative for Same-Sex Marriage
The Burklo Limit (on income inequality)
Progressive Taxation and Christian Faith
Defining and Defending Religious Freedom
Religious Freedom and Religious Privilege
Soulful Citizenship (audio of a speech, 9-20-12)
Prayer, Meditation, Spiritual Practice:
Submorphic Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality
My Little God
Lord's Prayer - An Interpretation
The Active Ingredient
Artistic Contemplation of the Cross
(see my "Stations of the Cross" at jimburklo.com)
Ebb Tide
The FeAST
Biblical Interpretation and Study:
Contemplating the Questions of Jesus
What's the Word?
Miracles and Myths
Metaphorical Literalism
Poetry:
WORD Jazz (a poetic sermon)
To Be a We
Fat Tuesday WORD Jazz (a poetic sermon for Lent)
O Little Town (a prayer for Christmas)
The Virgin Monologue (a prayer for Christmas)
Interlude for Gratitude (for Thanksgiving)
Ash Wednesday
Mindful Mirror of Passion Week
Oddservations
Tweets from my Subconscious
Mecca
Three Odes
Topa Topa
Bob's Poetry Supply
Where Poems Hide
Mysticism and Nature Spirituality:
On a Starry Night (for my dad!)
Sanctuary
The Bridges of Hanalei Bay
The River
A Tree Story
Why I'm Here
Not Yet (meditation on Advent)
Feeling For (I Am Not Here For Me)
Humble Faith
A Great Achievement
Immaculate Conception
You Are the Beauty That You See
Parables and Stories:
The Clay Bird
Parable of the Uncut Sapphire
From Seeds and Stardust
Oddservations:
Time for the Tiara (for my mom!)
Application for Membership in the 12 Disciples
Bringing Words to Life (a lecture on public speaking)
Homelessness and Houselessness (appeared in the book, The Best of CoEvolution Quarterly)