Theology of failure

"When Christians talk about what the church has to offer the world, one thing we do not often mention is an adequate theology of failure. Like everyone else, we live in a culture that adores success, and that never seems to tire of raising the bar. Being a successful human being means making straight A's, keeping a well-paid job with good benefits, staying happily married to an attractive person, raising well-adjusted children, and not gaining too much weight. Judging from the commercials on television, being successful also means driving a hot car, carrying a cool cell phone, having young-looking skin and choosing the right medicine to beat depression for good.

"This leaves a lot of room to fail. But the same culture that creates these conditions for failure is not equipped to deal with it."

-- "Spectacular Failure," by Barbara Brown Taylor, The Christian Century Magazine (via Normal Rockstar)