Latest Articles
Farrakhan strikes some moderate notes in farewell speech: May be Nation of Islam leader's last major address
Louis Farrakhan, the controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, used what was billed as possibly his last major address to urge followers to unite and cooperate with other faiths....
Egyptian mufti says women not obligated to prove virginity: Fatwa issued by female Islamic scholar
In a decision being hailed as a major step toward female equality in the Islamic world, the grand mufti of Egypt has said that Muslim women have no obligation to prove their virginity to prospectiv...
Luther's spiritual heirs face uncertain future: "We're fighting all the way"
Faced with declining membership, dwindling income and more demands to provide community services, Germany’s Protestants see an overwhelming challenge ahead of them....
Feisty justices hear faith-based case: Who has standing to file First Amendment suits
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments February 28 in a case that, on the surface, is about technical issues but could end up having significant ramifications for the way courts handle church-state...
John Paul and the Jews: 'A blessing to one another'
During John Paul II’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000, the frail pontiff visited the Western Wall, the remnant of the ancient Jewish Temple....
Collision course: Jesus' final week
If, as John’s Gospel suggests, Jesus went regularly to the annual festivals of his people in Jerusalem, what was so different that last time that it resulted in his execution?...
A small, beautiful thing: Making a difference; changing the world
Years ago, when I had just begun teaching and wondered what kind of contribution I might make to the great world of scholarship, I spoke with a teacher and scholar whose work I very much admired....
Money trail: Donors' influence on candidates' views
Former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack has abandoned his quest for the presidency because he could not raise sufficient funds....
Home church: Gratitude for Ascension Lutheran
The Martys move their residence and parish membership every 43 years, so every 43 years I should devote a column to my parish, Ascension Lutheran in Riverside, Illinois....
Bones of contention: The nature of the resurrection
An old joke has a graduate student giving the news to the great theologian Paul Tillich: “They’ve discovered the bones of Jesus!” To which Tillich replies, in his thick German accent, “So he really...
At a distance: Luke 23:1-49
Several years ago I attended a museum exhibit featuring the works of Vincent van Gogh. It was not an altogether pleasant experience because there was a man in my group who had a peculiar way of taking in each painting. He would stand about an inch away and then move slowly from one side to another, examining each strand of canvas, each dollop of paint. After he had scanned the entire surface of the painting, he would turn and make his way back across with his right ear about an inch away from the canvas. He examined every single painting in this manner.
Unnatural event: Luke 24:1-12
Chances are that your world is either experiencing or anticipating an awakening earth after months of winter slumber. Grass is turning green, azaleas are splashing the landscape with brilliant reds, dogwoods are sprouting pink and white blooms—little Easter catechisms shaped like crosses and complete, each one, with a crown of thorns. When the birds begin their morning songs these days, and the bees their carpentry, we imagine that the sounds they make are Easter music served up by nature, as the church’s most important holy day coincides with the renewed activity of creation.
Capital virtues
There has always been an uncomfortable connection between Sunday-morning and Monday-morning Christianity....
A Nation by Design
North Americans are fond of saying, almost reverentially, that the United States is an immigrant nation....
Second-class soldiers
Nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign-language film, Days of Glory has received plenty of praise for its sometimes stirring story of North Africans fighting for France during World...
The 'I' in sermons: Breaking old rules
I am never quite sure what postmodernity is, but I was struck by Pamela Fickenscher’s delightful essay on postmodern ministry (Off-ro...