God's Not Mad at You – Steve Brown & Susan Isaacs on SBE

Erik Guzman March 30th, 2012

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For too many (inside and outside of the church), Christianity is seen as a self-help program designed to ensure that God isn't mad at them.

(If you're on the front page of the site, click "Read More" to see audio player options.)

Join writer, actor and comedienne Susan Isaacs on Steve Brown Etc. as we talk about how the obsession with getting better isn't unique to Christians and discuss the solution to the universal problem of self-righteousnes … (Read More)

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Lent Is Not A Self-Help Program

Susan Isaacs February 27th, 2012

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Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, when the faithful honor Jesus’ forty-day temptation in the wilderness by abstaining from booze, sex, and facebook; whereas on the day before, Mardi Gras, the unfaithful go to New Orleans to film Girls Gone Wild videos.

“Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday.” The Anglicans call it “Shrove Tuesday” and celebrate by eating pancakes. I wondered if “shrove” was Anglican for “fat.” Pancakes make you fat; just l … (Read More)

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Justice

Susan Isaacs September 12th, 2011

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Back in 2001 I was living in New York City and dating a man who was, at best, Jesus-friendly. He liked Jesus OK, but not the God of the Bible. He found that God to be judgmental. I tried to explain that God’s judgment was good, not marred by sin, but rather a true judge who could accurately adjudicate wrong. It didn’t matter to Jack, though; Jack didn’t like the idea of judgment, period.

Around that time I heard Tim Keller preach on the issue. He said that conte … (Read More)

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Samson Part One

Susan Isaacs July 18th, 2011

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I arrived at the Ethiopian orphanage just as a swarm of teenage boys were trying to get out: cramming into a ramshackle van heading for a funeral. One of their own had died that morning. I panicked; where was Samson? I'd flown half way around the world to meet him. What if it was a funeral for Samson – my Samson?

I never longed to be a mother: no baby hunger, no ticking clock. Growing up I hated babysitting, unless the kids had reached junior high and disc … (Read More)

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Does Love or Controversy Win?

Susan Isaacs March 28th, 2011

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In case you've been living under an ecclesial rock, last month Rob Bell released a video promoting his upcoming book, Love Wins. He asks, "Do you know if Gandhi is in Hell? Are you sure?"

From there, neo-Calvinist John Piper tweeted, "Farewell Rob Bell." The twitterverse lit up like napalm, flaming Bell as a universalist heretic, or Piper as an exclusionary thug. I spied on some of the twitter discussion and observed a slick chick in Las Vegas … (Read More)

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Love, Sex, Marriage. All or none of the above

Susan Isaacs February 22nd, 2011

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I just spent a lovely Valentine's Day with my husband. It was our sixth Valentine's Day together. We met in January of 2006 and were married that August. (Hey, when you've spent your entire adult life unmarried, you don't waste time dating Mr. Wrong or letting Mr. Right get away.) It's been a terrific four and a half years. We'd each spent years in counseling before we met, so I like to say that Larry came "plug-and-play." We get … (Read More)

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