Blasphemy, Grace, and the Heart of God
Why even the most serious missteps cannot outweigh the invitation to return
Welcome to today’s reflection.
Some words sound like relics, until life brings them back into the present.
When the Word Feels Old
In Europe today, the word “blasphemy” feels almost archaic. We’re surprised when a book or cartoon sparks outrage, shocked when people pay with their lives for challenging beliefs. And yet, the idea of blasphemy still resonates, even if our sense of it has changed.
You might be surprised to learn that in the UK, laws against blasphemy existed until 2008. Until then, it was illegal to speak critically about Christianity. In 1977, the publisher of Gay News was imprisoned for describing Jesus as “Well Hung.” Society has shifted, and so has our understanding of what it means to offend, challenge, or speak against the sacred.
