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Welcome to Notes From Under the Fig Tree.
It is my hope that you will find Notes From Under the Fig Tree informative, challenging and to your liking.
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A Word From Jim Lewis About Notes From Under the Fig Tree
I started writing Notes From Under the Fig Tree 25 years ago while serving as the pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia. My intention was to share views honestly and openly with my parishioners, and invite them, as people of faith, to share their views with me and one another.
The subject matter of Notes became the source of great discussion, debate and controversy among readers. Gradually, over the years, the mailing list has grown beyond the church community. Notes is read now by a wide range of people across the country who are eager to engage contemporary issues spiked with a spiritual punch. No subject escapes comment. Nothing is too sacred to escape critical observation.
The fig tree is an ancient symbol for abundance. The Hebrew people were promised a home in which they would be able to have land blessed with milk and honey, grape vines and fig trees. The mark of a peaceful and just nation was gauged by whether a person could sit under his or her fig tree without fear of violence and injustice. When peaceful and just conditions didn’t exist, a prophet would speak up and act out on behalf of the truth. These Notes attempt to be faithful to that prophetic witness.
I sit under my fig tree every third week and scratch out four pages of Notes. They don’t pretend to be the final word on any subject, only the viewpoint of one person. Being right or wrong has never been as important as being faithful to whatever vision I’ve been given while sitting under my tree.
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One more observation: Notes costs money to produce and to put up on the web. Over the years I have been able to absorb the cost of production through my generous readers who send me contributions. Contributions may be sent to Notes From Under the Fig Tree,
I love feedback and rely on hearing what others see from beneath their fig tree. So be in touch.