Featured Articles
A Star to Guide Us
What I remember most about Emese, though, was her insistence that our book club read the “greatest book” she’d ever read, The Little Prince. After being cajoled by her for weeks for not thinking as highly of it as I should, I agreed that we would read it. One evening a month later, our book club had a lively discussion, all cozied into a student’s family room, munching on popcorn and brownies as we together unlocked the beauty and wisdom of Saint-Exupery’s classic story.
Featured Articles
Cheating
Heartland Manor, as we like to say, is a grab bag. That’s not very elegant, but it’s what the crew who work there like to say to each other—me too. Heartland takes all kinds—that’s what we mean. We have a memory unit with just a half dozen beds, we’ve got long term care, hospice care, skilled nursing, and assisted living—the whole range.
Welcome to Green Street
This summer, the summer of 1962, was different. This was the summer of the n-word. It was spoken often, not only on Green Street, but
What Pope Francis Wanted to Change
Beneath all he modeled and accomplished, Francis was trying to change the culture of the Vatican, and of the complex structures, institutions, and patterns of
A (Truly)Confessional Church?
When the debate over human sexuality in the CRC picked up and Heidelberg Catechism Question and Answer 108 provided a mechanism to single out and
How Big a Jerk Will Your Reading of the Bible Allow You to Be?
Hermeneutics, the science and art of biblical interpretation, is just that, a science and art. It requires deep thought, and there is a lot of
Moving Forward Looking Backward
I couldn’t make sense of the signage. The further I walked up the trail, the further I was from the end. Then I realized that
Standing at the Intersection, Seated at the Lord’s Table
The table signifies many things, including a rhythm, a routine, and the promise that this is the bread of life and the cup of salvation.
Latest from the Blog
Daily blog by our regular bloggers & guest contributors.
The gravity of the binary
I used to be quite proficient in physics – not so much anymore. It turns out that it’s one of those subjects that only sits
Windows on Mystery: Joy
John 13:31-35 “Joy” may be too big a word. Joy tends to put pressure on us. Consider what happens to many people at Christmas. Perhaps
Devouring David
“They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers” (Mark 12:40 NRSV). Or more starkly: “They shamelessly cheat widows out of
Received
Praise God that even though specific manifestations of the church will fail us, the body of Christ at fresh times and new places will meet
Landing Softly
I never became fluent in French, but I’m happy to say that, several years and a few trainers later, I’ve conquered the box jump.
Put Your Hands in the Soil
Scientific journals have reestablished what healers and spiritual teachers have known for centuries: that being in the presence of plant life helps humans thrive.
Between the Lines and Beyond
Life change, if it happens, usually occurs when we’re lost or disoriented or sick or somehow dependent on the kindness of people who don’t look
In Defense of Deconstructing
My deconstruction journey began in my freshman year of college. My zoology professor delivered a series of lectures on evolution. I was mesmerized. Maybe I
Reviews
Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned
This book is a much-needed addition for addressing the current crisis in Christian consciousness.
The Traveler’s Path: Finding Spiritual Growth and Inspiration Through Travel
The Traveler’s Path: Finding Spiritual Growth and Inspiration Through Travel by Doug Brouwer is a book for sojourners, and, if I’m not mistaken, that label
The Pitt (TV Show)
Through Wylie’s grizzled and weary portrayal of a dedicated Emergency Room Chief Resident, The Pitt reminds us of our need for good shepherds to guide
James: A Novel
One of the “it” books of 2024, James has been enjoyed by many, including former president Barack Obama.
Defiant Dreams: The Journey of An Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education
“In Afghanistan, you have to fear for the future of an educated child.”
A Balm for Gilead: Meditations on Spirituality and the Healing Arts
Health professionals have long emphasized a certain mental toughness that, although quite functional and healthy in many ways, can sometimes lead to a dysfunctional and
Holland is a Dud
I’m sorry to say, Holland is a dud, a movie with more plot holes than a piece of Swiss cheese (with no Gouda or Edam
The Way of Belonging: Reimagining Who We Are and How We Relate
Westfall encourages her readers to not only know and accept our belonging to God but also to live into the fact that belonging isn’t where
Poetry
Michigan Spring
First leaves of trout lily among the roots of a bare beech tree …
Manual Labor
Against the turnings of solstice hope sprouts eternal …
Wrapped and Laid
Wrapped and laid beginning and end bloth and cloth birth and death …
Every Sunday Morning
the phone rings–my grandmother’s voice winds through static, light as the creek curling around her back porch …
It’s About Us
It’s about us which is an empathy pronoun, replacing her and him and you and it and, praise the Lord, other.
Lost Sheep
Seventy-seven pounds of wool on that merino sheep who got lost
in the Outback.
Podcasts
“Michigan Spring” by Paul J. Willis
In this episode of the poetry edition of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Paul J. Willis about his poem “Michigan Spring.” Paul is
“Manual Labor” by Caroline Liberatore
In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Caroline Liberatore about her poem “Manual Labor.” Liberatore is a
“Wrapped and Laid” by Bill Howden
In this week’s episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews William D. Howden on his poem “Wrapped and Laid.” Howden
“Every Sunday Morning” by Taylor Mallay
In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Taylor Mallay about her poem “Every Sunday Morning.” Mallay is a
“It’s About Us” by Mark Hiskes
In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Mark Hiskes about his poem “It’s About Us.” Hiskes is a
“Lost Sheep” by Margaret DeRitter
In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Margaret DeRitter about her poem “Lost Sheep.” DeRitter is the