Latest Articles
Divisive divestment
The conflict over divestment seems to divide Presbyterians more deeply than past struggles. Old friends are barely speaking to one another.
Does the word work?
Does the divine expression, the word, really work? Does it make a difference in our lives and in the world?
My yearning for the difference-making word drew me to James Crockett’s work in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago.
On that controversial Facebook emotion study
The best controversies are those in which the headlines make you think one thing, but the full article pushes you another way....
Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter, by Randall Balmer
Randall Balmer uses Jimmy Carter's career to trace the history of progressive religious beliefs in the post-Watergate political environment.
Nantucket's 'Greater Light' house holds clues to island’s Quaker past
c. 2014 Religion News Service
NANTUCKET, Massachusetts (RNS) It is an old family story that has become part of the island’s lore....
Patriot cause
I love the Declaration of Independence and the radical notion that every human being has unalienable rights, innate worth, and dignity.
Teaching virtues
As a Lilly Fellow, I was compelled by Mark Schwehn's vision of all academic work as the work of teaching, with love at the core of its mission.
Reading devotional poetry with Kim Johnson
Ministry is one of the only professions besides writing where a person has daily need for poetry. Poetry refreshes and renews language and adds insight to stories we’ve heard many times. It can be woven meaningfully into sermons, and it bolsters the human spirit.
But pastors often turn to the same poets over and over again, and time to explore new territory is limited.
Intergenerational living
Our faith communities are often the only places in our society where we learn to think intergenerationally. We have a chance to care for one another from cradle to grave. In the challenging times ahead of us, I hope that our churches can continue to be places where we understand the unique positions of the young, old, and everyone in between.
Other people saying things
"What does it say about Christianity in America that this is the most creative cha...
Some thoughts on the future of Christian formation for children (and their parents)
I had one of those conversations last week that’s had me reflecting on our assumptions as clergy and churches, the way we do things, and what the future might look like.
A few weeks ago, a family visited the church I serve. We talked after the service and I learned that they hadn’t attended church regularly in a very long time but that all of their children had been baptized and they were hoping to reconnect. Instead of encouraging them to sign the guestbook as I usually do, I gave them my business card and urged them to contact me.
Report: Minnesota Archbishop Nienstedt under scrutiny for same-sex relationships
c. 2014 Religion News Service...
ANALYSIS: Hobby Lobby beat the contraception mandate. Here's why the nuns may not
c. 2014 Religion News Service...
PCUSA votes to divest funds, to marry gays where legal
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has decided to divest church funds from three American companies....
Francis: mafia members ‘are excommunicated’
Pope Francis is calling for Italy’s organized crime groups to give up “the adoration of evil,” telling members of the mafia they “are excommunicated” from the Catholic Church....
Glory days? The myth of the mainline
For decades, the notion of mainline decline has dominated interpretation of church life. But just how mighty were the churches before?