My name is Mark Pratt-Russum. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family. I am the released minister (aka pastor) of West Hills Friends Church. A significant portion of my work involves thinking and writing about the world, and the way in which I am navigating it as a neurodivergent, Queer, and ever-changing person.
Taking on the Jesus Yoke
…when a pupil or student would be accepted by a particular Rabbi it was said that the pupil would take the “rabbi’s yoke upon him.” Taking on a Rabbi’s yoke would mean a dramatic life shift, with the pupil leaving his home, his family, and way of life to be fully yoked with that particular Rabbi.
“Who Has Our Ears? The gods of Sacrifice or the God of Mercy?”
Likely, many of us have wrestled with this text. The source of that wrestling often is, “What kind of God would do this? Would put a person through this kind of test? What kind of jealous, power-hungry God would require a father to show his loyalty by telling him to sacrifice his only child?”