Author: MASadmin

Tebow? I hardly know you!

I apologize for being quiet this week. I could blame the usual suspects: school, church, my secret double life as a masked crusader, and while all of that is true, the real reason I’ve been silent is that I’ve been glued to Manning/Tebow Gate 2012.


More day of papers here.

If it’s not obvious, I am a die-hard Denver Broncos fan. My father grew up rooting for them and he pasted those genes to me. I’ve already been busy infecting my wife, cat, and dog with that loyalty as well (and watch out kidling! you’re next). So when I heard that Manning signed for Denver, I couldn’t believe it. One of the best quarterbacks in the game… I had a million questions. Is he healthy? Would he be able to play? Will he be able to continue the success that Denver had last year? Can he convince the defense to not continually break-down after game six every season? And could Tebow really survive as a backup? And, if not, since we just got rid of Quinn, who would backup Manning? And does every little colt always want to grow up into a Bronco?

I wasn’t surprised that Tebow was traded though it did make me a little sad. Even though I disagree with Tebow on a lot of things (theology, politics, his choice of eye makeup), I did like him as a Bronco. I liked that he took tebowing in stride. I also thought he looked good on the field even though he played terribly sometimes. He did lead the Broncos to their first playoff win in a long time and, for that, I’m grateful. He did great and as a long-time Bronco fan, I approved of him. But I really didn’t expect him to go to the Jets.


Get your desktop Peyton Manning/Tebow here.

New York is going Tebow bananas. Even the Grey Lady decided to write an article about how Tebow had an ancestor that lived in New Jersey at some point in the 1600s. For a Godless town, we’re loving the Tebow. And I’m not going to lie, I thought about sending an invite to him to attend my field site (or my home congregation if Queens is more his scene) but it seems I not the only one wondering which church he’ll end up in (though Sunday mornings might be bad for him, workwise). Our theology won’t click, and he might not like seeing women in the pulpit, but we have a great community for him. So if you see this Tebow, let me know if you need a place to worship. I promise I won’t ask you to phone it in if you meet the Broncos next season.

Promises I make on St. Patty’s Day


This Resurrection Picture is pretty great. Via Rachel Held Evans from Matthew Paul Turner.

St. Patty’s Day in New York is just pure madness.

Yesterday, my wife and I did a little shopping on 34th street before our partying (i.e. a birthday party for a friend). We swam amongst a sea of green. Both the LIRR and NJ Path trains were unloading hordes of green people into the city. All the bars were filled, cops were everywhere, and it was more rowdy than the usual 5 o’clock-off-from-work crowd. We almost didn’t survive.

Later, at the party of my friend, her boyfriend and I got to talking. I really like him and he’s always very curious about how my program is going (he’s Jewish so my wedding was the first time he ever went into a church and his experience with Christianity is mostly tied to watching the tv show Seventh Heaven and the Broadway shows Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell). He’s kind of a big deal in the theatre world and he is aware that churches put on musicals. He asked me if, once I have a call, he could come in and direct a version of 1776. I heartily agreed. So watch out world, an all-Lutheran version of 1776 is going to happen! Though we might have to add in Peter Muhlenberg because he is awesome.

You say Potato, I say…..Potato

Yesterday morning, my second semester New Testament survey course had a guest lecturer (Dr. McGowan, Warden of Trinity College, Melbourne). The topic of conversation was food, the Lord’s Supper, and the tradition of the banquet in the Greco-Roman world. It was fantastic.

However, right before the lecture started, the TA encouraged people to move up (everyone sat in back). She waved her arms, shouted, encouraged us to move, at a glacial pace, towards the front. Some moved, most didn’t. When the TA asked “why are you all sitting in the back?”, my friend responded “We’re Episcopalians.” I turned to him and said, “oh, we would have called them Lutherans.”

Considering how long it took us to develop the Call to Common Mission, with our tendency to sit in the back of the room, the ecumenical movement should have moved faster. We’re alike!