Latest Articles
Following evangelicals, traditional Catholics create a health insurance alternative
c. 2014 Religion News Service...
Reading ourselves reading the Bible
The hyperbole, violence, and abrupt scene changes in Matthew’s parable of the wedding feast have driven most interpreters to treat the story allegorically—thereby turning it from a dangerous puzzle to a reassuring message in code.
How do you know God’s plans for your life?
As I’m getting back in the swing of the more structured pastoral life again, I am beginning to engage in conversations with folks that sound a lot like this:...
Bradley N. Hill's favorite books for ministry
What are the best books for ministry written in the 21st century? We asked seven pastors to pick their favorites. — Ed....
Books for ministry
What are the best books for ministry written in the 21st century? We asked seven pastors to pick their favorites.
Carol Howard Merritt's favorite books for ministry
What are the best books for ministry written in the 21st century? We asked seven pastors to pick their favorites. — Ed....
David: The Divided Heart, by David Wolpe
There is at present a stream of good and interesting books on the Hebrew Bible’s King David, written by first-rate scholars....
An addict turns to contemplation
I staggered through my house that morning, knowing I was out of coffee. I took multiple trips around the house looking for my shoes, finally settled for outrageously large climbing boots, then took multiple trips looking for my keys. I finally jumped on my motorcycle—adrenaline is a good substitute for endorphins when you get older—and broke many laws getting to the local caffeine clinic. Upon arriving I had the sinking realization that my man-purse was not in my backpack.
At this point all my training as a contemplative was out the window.
Ayanna Johnson Watkins's favorite books for ministry
What are the best books for ministry written in the 21st century? We asked seven pastors to pick their favorites. — Ed....
The Deepest Human Life, by Scott Samuelson
The Deepest Human Life is an elegantly written, impassioned, and sometimes disjointed plea on behalf of philosophy. Scott Samuelson invokes poets, novelists, and theologians to defend the dialectical process that Socrates imparted.
What do Americans pray for? Themselves. And maybe a sports team
c. 2014 Religion News Service...
Fighting horror with humor, Iraqis retaliate against IS
(The Christian Science Monitor) The situation in Iraq is no laughing matter, but artists of all stripes are turning to humor to wage war...
Pope Francis wanted open debate. With clashing cardinals, he’s got it
c. 2014 Religion News Service...
The rise and fall and rise of the NCC
Like many mainline Protestant institutions, the National Council of Churches has had a rough couple of years. Once the public face of American Protestantism, the NCC is now just another face in the crowd. Yet with new leadership and a retooled mission, the NCC is poised to rebound from its low ebb of influence and carries a great deal of promise into the future.
I’ve broken all ten
When teaching classes in churches, I occasionally tested students on the Ten Commandments....
Renouncing 'the Magic Negro' urge
This temptation will always remain when we are willing to blindly benefit from and represent a system that is working well for us, without the concrete concern for others that are silenced or stigmatized by that very same system. In the name of making a difference, we can actually begin to help the system be sophisticated in its ability to point to its “change makers” (even though they are merely exceptions to the rule) as evidence of its commitment to anti-oppression.