Cover Story

A sociologist might see in football a society's need to control and ritualize violence. The church fathers, however, weren't much for sociologists.

The Century asked 23 authors to boil Christian proclamation down to just a few words. What is the essence of the essence of Christianity?

An annotated list by the author of Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction.

The LDS canon's four books carry equal weight of authority. All are read as historical witnesses to God's promise of salvation.

It has become fashionable to narrate the lives of books. Paul Gutjahr offers a brief and readable account of the Book of Mormon's history.

The 19th-century Mormon kingdom emphasized the common good. Later came a shift toward personal morality as the mark of saintliness.

In Strasbourg, my husband and I became ecclesiastical two-timers. Once we'd done that, it was easy to become three-timers.

At the 2009 G8 conference, $22 billion was pledged to agricultural development and food security. This year it was only $3 billion.

The developed world's negligence has produced one of Africa's cruelest ironies: its farmers are its hungriest people.

The Jordan River is too shallow for Michael to row across, and the shore is a stinking pile of sludge. But something redemptive is happening.

God's "consuming fire" is the fire of holy love. It doesn't await sinners in the future; it burns up sin itself.

Though comprehensive sex ed is effective, fear of controversy keeps many schools from implementing it. But support may be gaining ground.

When Nicole Chaisson teaches kids about sexuality, she doesn't have to worry about the state legislature. But that doesn't make her task simple.

Reconciliation requires relocation. To see the effects of our food choices, we have to get close to the land.

"The U.S has created a vast legal system for racial and social control, unprecedented in world history. Yet we claim to be colorblind."

Our spring books issue's reviews include Lillian Daniel on Lauren Winner, Jason Byassee on The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Janet Potter on Ayad Akhtar and more.

Our spring books issue includes annotated lists of top titles on science and religion, marriage and the Psalms.

Our spring books issue includes the following annotated lists of top new titles: Old Testament, theology and ethics.

All deserts are silent, harsh and beautiful. Sinai adds its history of God’s dealings with humanity. It’s a holy place where the veil is lifted.

“Silence gives me freedom in both real time and psychic time. When I talk less, I see more. And silence gives me time to pray.”