John Buchanan

I am not immune to the seduction of being invited to a White House briefing, nor of being called a “religious leader,” so I flew to Washington in mid-October (at my own expense) and showed up as i...

The best part of my job is that Martin Marty occasionally sticks his head into my office, calls me “Boss” with a twinkle in his eye, and sits down to talk—as if he has nothing better to do....

I grew up with books. My parents valued books and taught me to treat books with respect and affection....

I must confess I had never heard of Oprah Winfrey before she appeared in the role of Sofia in the 1985 film version of Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple....

Anniversaries of traumatic events carry an emotional power....

When my children were younger, they used to call the first Sunday after Labor Day weekend “Opening Day.” They were referring, not to that long-awaited day in early April when the first major league...

I am probably not alone in deploring both the suicide bombings carried out by young Palestinians against pathetically vulnerable Israeli civilians and the now predictable military attacks by Israel...

One of the reports the stated clerk makes to the General Assembly of my church when it gathers for its annual meeting is about statistics: how many members we gained and lost, how many infants were...

I have a dim recollection of Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian philosophy from a course in college....

In his book Take Time for Paradise: Americans and Their Games, A....

The human race can be divided in various ways....

At a church staff devotional the other day, a colleague read the passage from the 25th chapter of Matthew about the separating of the sheep and the goats, and about how we minister to Jesus Christ ...

This issue features a topic in which I have a personal interest—the megachurch (see Wanted: Megapastors), though I deplore the term a...

This issue contains an important article on a region unfamiliar to many of us—the turbulent Muslim countries of central Asia that border Afghanistan—and two thoughtful essays on topics theological ...

I love Eugene Peterson’s remark that “if you are called to it, being a pastor is the best life there is” (see David Wood’s interview...

I received a phone call once from a good friend, a member of my congregation with whom I had been carrying on an extended theological conversation for several years....

This issue contains some personal musings and reflections on how and when theological education happens—or perhaps doesn’t happen....

In the small lobby of the offices of the Christian Century hang two large mounted posters....

It’s a truism in my trade that one negative comment about the sermon can pretty much ruin your Sunday....

It is generally not a good idea to refer to one’s children in sermon or print, but I’ve concluded that when it comes to grandchildren, such rules are suspended....