Latest Articles
Peace, peace. But for whom?
When I was living in China, taxis were a convenient and cheap mode of transportation. One time, our taxi driver got into a small fender bender....
Jesus against the Scribal Elite, by Chris Keith
Chris Keith sets out to answer two questions. What lay at the heart of the conflict between Jesus and some of the religious authorities of his day? And how, if at all, did Jesus read Israel’s scriptures?
How cafeteria Christians survive the holidays
I often hear the term “cafeteria Christian.” It is a description of our current religious milieu. People pick and choose what’s important to them in their faith. It’s usually said with disdain—and a bit of eye-rolling.
Theologians, who construct systems of belief, want to think about theology as a whole. They are afraid that a generation is going to come along and jettison a couple thousand years of careful thought in lieu of what feels good to them.
A Samaritan gives thanks #BlackLivesMatter
Today, I give thanks. Not for America, for material possessions, or for modern comforts. No, I give thanks for the One that has made me whole.
Hyphenated life: Mixed loyalties in family and faith
As the imam spoke, it struck me that a whole generation of Muslim Americans would grow up feeling the weight of self-consciousness.
Cosmic questions
“Are we alone in the universe?” is always a question about God’s existence. The film Interstellar shows this clearly.
A spiritual director, seeking direction
In one of the cabinets of my office, I keep a small glass holder big enough for a single tea light candle. I received it my first semester of seminary, during which I'd taken a class called Spiritual Formation.
It was an oasis during a rough period of adjustment.
What "we" shall overcome?
At the vigil for Ferguson, I stumbled over singing "We Shall Overcome." I have remarkably little, personally, to overcome in my life.
After Ferguson decision, black churches rekindle leadership for long-term social change
(The Christian Science Monitor) The hand-folded paper peace cranes that now adorn the altar and pulpit at Christ the King United Church of Ch...
Yazidi families reclaim girls seized by Islamic State—for a price
Suzanne twists the heart-shaped pink plastic ring on her finger as she talks about the women and children who beat her for trying to escape the self-described Islamic State....