things i write
go ahead, pick a topic
my book
by Brian Niece
Something Beyond Nothing?
The God We Don’t Yet Know
most recent posts
Confession: We Don’t Have Our Stuff Together | A Liminal Advent | Part 2
When we give ourselves the freedom to question during a liminal Advent, without expecting ready and complete answers, we may learn that our house isn’t entirely in order. But are we brave enough to confess such a thing?
Invocation: Questions | A Liminal Advent | Part 1
What if we have forgotten, or perhaps never explored, the stuff of Advent beyond our established boundaries? What if a liminal Advent is more authentic?
Backleading
Backleading: A Poem. The prelude began on a Nashville night; The first movement ended on a Mississippi highway.
The Tyranny of the Literal
The tyranny of the literal has made life more dangerous and more harmful when we interact with each other in a world dependent on relationships.
Faith = Do Something
A final word on the Reimagining Faith series. When I do something because of this faith, then it becomes a way of life to be witnessed.
Jesus Messes Everything Up
Jesus is the pre-eminent interpreter of scripture. And in one instance he injects one interpretive word into one familiar theological statement, and we still haven’t recovered.
Confession of a Recovering Pastor
Does the system of religion have much to do with following Jesus? Here’s a confession from a recovering pastor about this very thing.
Why Pray for Others?
It’s not until recently that I’ve found a compelling result when I pray for others. And in a roundabout way, the practice changes me in beneficial ways.
The Will to Love
I can do so much. We all can. As Whitman wrote, we are large and contain multitudes. But I realize there is something I cannot do. We cannot manufacture the will to love.
Now What?, or Post-Easter Blues?
The day after Easter Sunday sometimes feels like one of those “Now what?” moments. It’s similar to that possible let-down feeling the day after Christmas. All the celebration and joy and yada yada was great; but now what do we do?
Non-theistic: Becoming “Non” for Lent | Week 6
Why in the world would we ever want to become non-theistic during one of the most obviously theistic seasons of the liturgical year? To such a natural question I would respond with another question: Why have we not done such a thing more often?
Non-combative: Becoming “Non” for Lent | Week 5
Conflict is part of life, because relationships are part of life. Where there are relationships, there will be conflict. We also experience conflict within ourselves if we strive toward any modicum of personal growth.