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New today from the Century: John Buchanan on sustaining the Century, Lee Hull Moses on being surprised by volunteers, more.

Wine was a major economic resource in the Near East and the Mediterranean world; in times of war, vineyards would be one of the first areas attacked by enemies to undermine the economy....

Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon in massive numbers. The situation threatens to overwhelm a country already struggling to maintain a delicate peace.

c. 2013 Religion News Service...

The Supreme Court decisions on gay marriage, while historic, didn’t settle the issue. In fact, they fuel it....

In the ancient city of Laodicea in western Turkey, site of the church reprimanded in the book of Revelation for being “neither cold nor hot,” our guide led us across the old agora to a p...

In Vacation Bible School you don’t simply tell Bible stories, you inhabit them. This is the greatest share of the work, creating visual spaces where children can experience a Bible story....

New today from the Century: Melissa Tabeek on Syrian Christian refugees in Lebanon, David Heim on layers of faith in Turkey, more.

My wife and I are flying out today, over Boston, the city where marriage equality got its start. We are flying out over Old South Church, the place where we were married. We are flying into California, a place where yesterday morning our marriage wasn’t legal. And we are flying to General Synod, the biannual meeting of the United Church of Christ, the church that recognized our marriage before the federal government ever did.

In our political climate, security enjoys a peculiar status: it’s an absolute priority, subject to little scrutiny or cost-benefit analysis.

Sometimes a court opinion is more than just a court opinion....

Based on my own entirely unscientific observations, it seems that there is a burgeoning market for “recovering pastor who saw the godless light” stories these days. The genre is familiar enough by now, right?

It begins in February. Parents scour websites in the often-competitive sport of hunting for summer camp options. The goal is to keep our children happy, occupied and perhaps even learning something during the long summer.  Summer camps are a relatively new invention, introduced in the early 20th century.

New today from the Century: The editors on the idolatry of security, James Howell reviews Augustine Thompson, more.

One key challenge for churches in the North Dakota oil boom is how to respond to the needs of many new resid...

When we think of the hagiography of Francis of Assisi, Qohelet’s wry musing comes to mind: “Of making many books there is no end.”...

When Will Campbell replied to my letter, I expected him to call me to fight “the Enemy.” Instead he encouraged me to love my enemies.

You may be better organized than I am, but in my overscheduled life, every once in a while I miss an appointment....

c. 2013 The Star-Ledger...

The more the food movement goes mainstream, the more you hear casual descriptors like "local or organic or eco-friendly." Local becomes one of several labels that can stand in for eco-ethical food ...