The priest behind the screen
Oddly enough, some of the best TV shows about clergy come from secular Europe.
Oddly enough, some of the best TV shows about clergy come from secular Europe.
I recently came across a record by 1960s Episcopal priest and jazz musician Robert Owen.
In the evangelicalism I grew up in, people talked about heaven a lot. We longed for the pearly gates. And why not? Heaven meant being with God forever. We shared the gospel in hopes that others would get saved and get in. “Got heaven?” we asked. We promised a dreamy world beyond this world’s nightmares. We read scripture, sang songs, and tried to be patient for that one day at the end of our days. We couldn’t wait for heaven.
After each service, I sweep up the dirt, specks of plastic, and tendrils of hair.
At a workshop, I was asked to list my failures. The experience has stayed with me.