Featured Articles
Name(s), Faith, and Prayer
One night, as my grandfather lay there, body-quaking, he suddenly felt a warm sensation throughout his body. He felt drawn to the light, the same light so many people describe in near-death experiences. Then, suddenly, his body was cold again and he was back in that same prison bed he had come to know. He would remark decades later, at his own father’s funeral, that he didn’t fear death because he knew how “good it felt.”
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.
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
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
Latest from the Blog
Daily blog by our regular bloggers & guest contributors.
Remembering Better
While there is something noble and beneficial about looking back, the best way to remember the sacrifices of the past would be to change our
Looking for Jesus after Being Fired
I had a brief, tense interaction with my manager. She stormed out of the meeting, so I figured we would work it out when we
Windows on Mystery: Coming and Going
How is the risen Lord present to us and how not? And what are the relevance of those two realities? Resurrection questions.
Death to Self vs. Death of Self in the Pulpit
The more of your personality, humor, and stories you put in, the more it feels like the response to the sermon is a referendum on
A Vulgar, Tender Ethic of Friendship
They blustered, argued, and cursed the confines they felt, but there was real energy to it. They had something to push against.
Harm
Protecting the most vulnerable species from the finality of extinction has a unique gravity that is poorly addressed in regulatory language.
Some Small Corner of the Earth
The tomatoes were eaten by some kind of worm or bug, and the corn leaned over like a half-hearted question mark.
Hate Wrapped in Virtue
We’ve seen it before. And we’re seeing it again — hatred wrapped in the veneer of faith and flag.
Reviews
The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy
This is an important book, combining careful research, insightful analysis, and brisk, clear writing. The story that Taylor uncovers is one that should be deeply
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
Poetry
Malchus
There are at least two Machuses in heaven. Malchus according to LUke has at least two ears but no name …
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.
Podcasts
“Malchus” by Joshua Patch
In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks with Joshua Patch about his poem “Malchus.” Patch is a teacher
“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