Third Sunday of Advent (Year A, RCL)

Is Matthew so embarrassed by Bethlehem’s lowly status in Micah that he feels the need to punch it up a little?

I probably shouldn’t treat my own son like he’s the Messiah. Imagine the pressure.

Vida Dutton Scudder, an early 20th-century radical, points Christians to solidarity and martyrdom.

“Anyone who thinks he knows the orthodox consensus can always be shown to be wrong,” says David Bentley Hart.

Navigating agency and surrender with my namesake, the mother of God

If anyone is expecting a lullaby, they better think again.

John the Baptist is not sure if Jesus is very Christlike.

Abortion is about real lives enmeshed in the realities of home and work and wages and debt.

My Grandma Violet was the black sheep of our family. I think of her when I pray.

I think Jesus learned his prophetic ministry from his mother.

The biblical foundation for a holy practice

This time of year, our inner landscapes can seem as bleak as the outer ones.

Listening to "What's Going On" provides some solace—and some discouragement.

In his response to John, Jesus speaks of hope in the present tense.

I've long identified with Mary's fire. Now I want to learn from Elizabeth.