This is the first episode of the holiday special by James C. Schaap, author and retired English professor. Today, an eighth grader, fed up with smarmy Sunday School Christmas programs, races home to find a baby Jesus doll, only to discover, slowly, something she had never pondered about the gift in the manger.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Nathaniel Schmidt about his poem “Anti-Hero,” based on Matthew 26:52. Nathaniel A. Schmidt is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America and serves as a hospice and hospital chaplain. He holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary, Calvin University, and The University of Illinois, Springfield. His newest poetry collection, Transfiguring, is out from Whippenstock.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Mary Grace Mangano about her poem “Desert Eyes.” Mary Grace has worked as a middle and high school English teacher in several major cities and has published freelance and creative writing. She received her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of St. Thomas in Houston as an inaugural Gioia Family Fellowship recipient and as a member of the first cohort to graduate from the program. Currently, she is an…

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, Rose Postma interviews Patricia L. Hamilton about her poem “Sarah, Long Suffering.” Patricia is a professor of English at Union University and the author of The Distance to Nightfall. She won the Rash Award in Poetry in 2015 and 2017 and has received three Pushcart nominations.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Rev. Dr. Harold J. Recinos about his poem “Butterfly.” Harold is professor of church and society at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. A cultural anthropologist, he specializes in work and ethnographic writing dealing with undocumented Central American migrants and the Salvadoran diaspora. He has published numerous articles, chapters in collections, and written major works in theology and culture, including ten collections of poetry. His most recent…

In this episode of the Reformed Journal Podcast, book review editor Deb Van Duinen interviews Jennifer Holberg, professor of English and department chair at Calvin University, co-director of Calvin's Center for Faith and Writing, and frequent writer for the Reformed Journal. Jennifer discusses her recently published book, Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Bill Stadick about his poem “Nominal APR as Call to Worship, or the Glorious Application of the Immutable Rule of 72 to the Words of the Prophet.” Bill has published poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction in The Christian Century, The Windhover, Relief Journal, The Ekphrastic Review, First Things and other publications. His poetry chapbook, Family Latin, is available from Finishing Line Press and selections of his work appear in two anthologies: In a Strange Land: Introducing Ten…

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Julie L. Moore about her poem “Harlem Sunday.” A Best of the Net and eight-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Julie is the author of four poetry collections, including, most recently, Full Worm Moon, which won a 2018 Woodrow Hall Top Shelf Award and received honorable mention for the Conference on Christianity and Literature's 2018 Book of the Year Award. Recent poetry has appeared in African American Review, Image, Quartet, Sojourners, SWWIM, Thimble, and Verse Daily. Learn…

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Sydney Lea about his poem “250th Anniversary: Newbury Congregational Church.” Sydney was Poet Laureate of Vermont from 2011-2015. In 2021, He received Vermont’s highest artistic distinction, The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2022, he published Seen from all Sides: Lyric and Everyday Life, a collection of newspaper columns on poetry, composed during Lea’s laureate tenure. He is the author of 16 collections of poetry and in early 2024, his…

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Ellis Purdie about his poem “Nighthawk in Hand.” Ellis earned a Master’s degree in Creative Writing at the University of Southern Mississippi. He now teaches at East Texas Baptist University. When he is not teaching, he is usually reading, working on his own creative writing, seeing films, or working with animals.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Sarah Reardon about her poem “The Waiting Room.” Sarah teaches at a classical Christian school in Philadelphia and is pursuing an MFA from the University of St. Thomas Houston.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Jill Baumgaertner about her poem "Ash Wednesday.” Jill is Professor Emerita of English and former Dean of Humanities and Theological Studies at Wheaton College. She is also poetry editor at The Christian Century. She has recently published a poetry collection called From Shade to Shine: New Poems, and an anthology called Taking Root in the Heart.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Andrew Lansdown about his poem “Among the Autumn Maples.” Andrew is a widely published and award-winning Australian writer. His most recent books are: Distillations of Different Lands, Kyoto Momiji Tanka: Poems and Photographs of Japan in Autumn, and Abundance: New and Selected Poems.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews K.G. Munro about her poem “In Blind Faith.” Kristen is an author and poet, and has been published by Agape Review, Poetry Potion, Love Poetry amongst many others.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Katlyn DeVries about her poem “Slaughterhouse.” Katlyn runs the writing studio at Western Theological Seminary. She is also a Doctor of Ministry candidate and Girod Assistant Western.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma talks to Jacob Schepers about his poem “The Quiet-Out-Loud.” Jacob Schepers is a writer and professor at University of Notre Dame. He is the author of A Bundle of Careful Compromises, and his writing has appeared in or is forthcoming from such places as Verse, The Common, The Fanzine, Entropy, Tupelo Quarterly, and The Destroyer, among others.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Jessamyn Rains about her poem “Journey of Monarchs.” Jessamyn is a homeschooling mom of four who writes and makes music. Her writing appears and is forthcoming in several publications, including Dappled Things and Kosmeo Magazine, which she helps to edit. You can also listen to her music on her YouTube channel.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews Kevin LaTorre about his poem “True Believer.” Kevin is a poet and writer living with his family in North Carolina. His work has appeared in The Blotter, Echo Literary Magazine, Walter Magazine, Ad Fontes, and the Front Porch Republic. He writes about poetry, Christianity, and literature at kevinlatorre.substack.com.

In this episode of the poetry edition, Rose Postma interviews Mark Bennion about his poem “Beginning.” Mark teaches writing and literature at Brigham Young University Idaho. His latest book of poetry “Beneath the Falls” was released by Resource Publications in 2020.

In this episode of the Poetry Edition, Rose Postma interviews D.S. Martin about his poem "Sidewalk Cracks (Metaphysicals V)" inspired by John Donne's 19 Holy Sonnets. Don is a widely published poet and the Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College. He's also a series editor for the Poiema Poetry Series. You can listen to “Garden,” the first poem in this series in The Reformed Journal Podcast. You can also read the other poems in this series on our website.