I’m a devoted reader of the funny papers, and always have been. The classic comics (Peanuts), the newer comics (Pearls before Swine), the comics I adore (Ernie Pook) and the comics I don’t really get most of the time (Bizarro) The comics that tell stories (Prince Valiant) and the comics that comment on our 21st century lives (Doonesbury). I read ‘em all.
For the last 20 years or so (probably something to do with my calling) I have marveled at how often the comics try to address what seem to me to be real theological issues. Take this week’s storyline of “Pickles”. Have you seen it? This is the comic from Monday:
This strip got me thinking about one of the Stump the Preacher questions from a while back:
Could you discuss the difference between self determination and free will,
and God’s intervention and the action of Grace in our lives?
Uh, well, maybe. With a running start.
This week, much to the amazement of a number of my preacher pals, I’m taking that running start. This Sunday we’ll be exploring free will and grace and poking around at the “Ifs”. In the meantime, check out the rest of this week’s Pickles series at http://comics.com/pickles/.
I hope to see you Sunday!
in the Big Love –
susan
