John

I was a little girl, sitting near the front row of the church. My legs could not touch the floor, and I had to hold my hands laced in my lap so that I could remain still. I stared at the coffin before me.

When I read John 11 and heard Jesus thundering, “Unbind him and let him go!" I realized I had not forgiven my father.

When I read John 11 and heard Jesus thundering, “Unbind him and let him go!" I realized I had not forgiven my father.

In our Gospel text, some of Jesus’ disciples find his teaching hard. Eating his body? Drinking his blood? I didn’t sign up for this. Couldn’t I just pray for you?

It's no surprise that Nicodemus goes home befuddled. If discipleship doesn't come with some confusion, it probably isn't Jesus you're following.

It's no surprise that Nicodemus goes home befuddled. If discipleship doesn't come with some confusion, it probably isn't Jesus you're following.

I know what Jesus is doing in this story; I have three small children. He's dawdling.

I know what Jesus is doing in this story; I have three small children. He's dawdling.

I have given my father many presents. The small bottle of fragrant bath essence I gave him last Christmas may be the most important one.

I have given my father many presents. The small bottle of fragrant bath essence I gave him last Christmas may be the most important one.

I have given my father many presents. The small bottle of fragrant bath essence I gave him last Christmas may be the most important one.

No one from the outside can fully grasp the inner workings of any marriage. Even those inside sometimes find themselves lonely and strangers.

A triptych for Thomas G. Long

I was not raised in the Mennonite church; I came to it later in life. It was primarily the commitment to nonviolence that drew me in, though I soon learned that there is more to like about being a Mennonite than that.

One of the things I admire about Mennonites is their respect for history.

I wonder if Nicodemus knows what he’s getting into. What draws him to Jesus? What motivates any of us to come to Jesus?

I often think I hear colleagues asking, “How could we attract nuns to our church?” Actually they’re talking about “the nones,” of course. One of the clearest findings of the Pew Forum’s new religious landscape study is that fewer and fewer people have any religious affiliation at all. Catholics and mainline Protestants show the biggest drop. 

I feel pretty conflicted about all of this.

Did you ever make a Möbius strip in grade school or high school? You may have seen one in the woodcuts of M.C. Escher. They are made by taking a strip of paper, say, eight inches long and an inch wide. You hold the two ends, give one a half-twist, then tape the two ends together to form a loop.

The Bible's images for God must be taken in an analogical sense. Yet the Bible exhibits no anxiety about using them.

The Bible's images for God must be taken in an analogical sense. Yet the Bible exhibits no anxiety about using them.