Features
Slow to answer: Memo to the congregation
Prayers offered by strangers had no effect on the recovery of people who were undergoing heart surgery, a large and long-awaited study has found. And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of postoperative complications.
—Report in the New York Times, March 31
Dear Friends: You can stop praying now. In fact, as your pastor, I am asking you: please stop praying. An extensive clinical study has concluded that praying for those you don’t know does them no earthly good.
Owls: Olmert's 'convergence' policy
God's time, our time: An interview with Robert W. Jenson
Robert W. Jenson recently retired as senior scholar at the Center for Theological Inquiry in Princeton. He and longtime colleague Carl Braaten founded the journals Dialog and Pro Ecclesia and the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. He has taught at Luther College, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Oxford University and St. Olaf College.
At Ground Zero: Homosexuality and the message of Isaiah
Royal treatment
I never meant to burn any bridges,” Neil Young sings in “One of These Days” in Jonathan Demme’s movie Neil Young: Heart of Gold. “But I let some good things die.” Heart of Gold records Young’s two concerts at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium last year. The concerts marked the debut performance of songs featured on his Prairie Wind album. Those songs make up roughly the first half of the program, which is filled out by Young favorites, including some that go back as far as his Buffalo Springfield days nearly four decades ago.
Books
Parking lot palms
Blind spots
Saints and sinners
Widow's walk
Roll call
Departments
Testing God: Prayer works on those who pray
The Jesus diet: He "inspired a generation of young people to challenge injustice"
Confirming Erik: The gift of hospice care
Opening act: Uniting church and state
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Briefly noted
People
Century Marks
A Century reader reported seeing a church sign in western New York that said, “If you’re through with sin, come on in.” Somebody wrote below it: “If not, phone 425-XXXX.”