Latest Articles
After Cloven Tongues of Fire, by David A. Hollinger
After Cloven Tongues of Fire is a collection of historian David Hollinger’s writings on 20th-century American Protestantism....
Nearest kin: R. Kendall Soulen on Christians and Jews
"Supersessionism is like a submerged resentment that infects all our social relationships. That's why overcoming it is so important."
Basketball player at Catholic college comes out
c. 2013 USA Today
(RNS) Jallen Messersmith has been hearing gay slurs all his life....
Sunday, June 16, 2013: 1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a; 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15
"Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful,” Jezebel said to Ahab....
Documenting the false apocalypse
In the weeks leading up to May 21, 2011, young filmmaker Zeke Piestrup asked radio-show host and apocalypse predictor Harold Camping if he could accompany him in the final days of the wo...
Let the charities take care of the poor! (And also of a lot of other stuff.)
If you’ve been here long, you won’t be shocked to hear that I’m not impressed by a lot of what American conservatives have to say about domestic poverty. (Though I do appreciate the basic political courage it takes for an elected official to even use the word.)
But there is at least one idea from the right that I’m more or less on board with: we should be very careful about cutting the tax deduction for charitable contributions.
Tuesday digest
New today from the Century: Kendall Soulen on Christians and Jews, Amy Frykholm on the Harold Camping documentary, more.
Poor and unwanted: Sociologist Susan Crawford Sullivan
"About a third of the women in my study felt stigmatized by churches. Some mentioned not having nice clothes; some were ashamed of being on welfare."
Truthful stories
I have neither given or received, nor have I tolerated others' use of unauthorized aid. At the university where I teach part time, students write this honor code statement on every exam, essay and homework submission. It is up to the instructor to identify what constitutes authorized aid for each assignment or exam.
When Luke set out to write his “orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,” there seems to have been no concept of unauthorized aid.
Annoying allies
I turned the knob of the radio until I could hear the public station. It was a local program, a prolonged piece on a mother talking about the fear and anticipation of the "shavee." I admit. I rolled my eyes.
Take words with you
A recent morning’s Bible reading was a bit of an unexpected one: Hosea 14. I suspect I am not alone in saying that I don’t tend to spend a lot of time in Hosea for devotional reading.
Monday digest
New today from the Century: Amy Frykholm interviews Susan Crawford Sullivan, Ed Blum reviews Emily Raboteau, more.
Promised lands
Partly a travel memoir, partly the spiritual journey of someone who claims no particular spirituality, and partly a family story of fear and joy, Searching for Zion follows Emily Raboteau’...
How we make choices: Congregations and the psychology of risk
Decision making may have less to do with rational assessment than perceived risk. Is this why even well-reasoned church initiatives don't always succeed?
Church-based scouting alternatives attract interest
c. 2013 Religion News Service
(RNS) They have pledges. They have merit badges. And they may go camping.
But they’re not the Boy Scouts....
What is a church supposed to teach?
Our congregation, thanks to the leadership of our adult education team, has been thinking and talking about wholesale revisions to our educational offerings for adults....
Other people saying things
"I know it’s a lurid metaphor, but I taught my daughter the preschool block precursor of don’t 'get raped' and this child, Boy #1, did not learn the preschool equivalent of 'don’t rape.'"