American Utopias — Shakers, Mormons, Oneida. Can a “city on a hill” also be a sending, transformative agent? Oberlin tried. From The Anxious Bench.
Kristin Kobes DuMez answers on her newsletter, “DuMez Connections.” Includes a video link from the Holy Post.
The latest from Small Church Big Table exploring the “Holben scale” on views within a church about welcoming LGBTQ+ people.
Another interesting tweet from Ryan Burge. Spoiler — Highest: Natl. Baptist Convention 80%. Lowest: Nondenom Evangelical 17%.
A surprising finding! Another provocative and interesting tweet from Ryan Burge.
Can regularly bringing your child to a farmer’s market replace “church.” Wanting community, but not religion.
For the astute listener, Buffet’s music carried many clues to his religious background.
Say what you will about his governing, but no US president in nearly half a century has made church attendance such a priority. A tweet
It’s a relatively recent trend. Where does this persecution complex come from? Meanwhile, American evangelicals believe LGBTQ+ people no longer face persecution.
The Economist on “brand identity and good vibes” in the American church. Paywalled: must subscribe or sign up for a free month’s trial to read
Garrison Keillor on worship and the walk home. “Church is a treatment for narcissism.”
Carol Bechtel wraps up her series on the Succession Narrative (2 Samuel and 1 Kings) with David’s enemies-list and bloody vengeance.
Phillip Jenkins blogs on Patheos about surprises in predictions about secularization and religion.
Pope Francis says American critics are guided more by ideology than faith.
It’s well-known that houses of worship in the USA continue to become more homogeneous and nichier. Are there ways to counter this trend?
Kristen Kobes Du Mez’s newsletter examines a recent viral thread
Phil Yancey engages with pastor-sociologist Ryan Burger on the latest trends in church attendance in the US.
Ryan Burge — similar to “military service,” Americans like the idea of “being religious” more than actually practicing religion.
RCA chaplain Cindi Veldheer DeYoung shares about her recent cochlear implant, time off, and the changes they brought.
Countering a truism, a recent study shows pastors are not more liberal than their members — among white, American evangelical pastors.
Former SBC leader, now CT editor, interviewed by NPR about his newest book.
Dismantling the myth that slavery in the ancient world, or biblical times, was somehow “not so bad.”
How the Barbie movie makes a 30 year old song relevant again. From NYT: may be pay walled.
Interesting and important reading for ministers and their families — from Reformed Church Board of Benefits Services.
Well-known Jesuit writer, Father James Martin, tackles questions like “Why be religious?” “Are all religions the same?” and more.
From “Small Church/Big Table” — it’s more than just the clobber passages.
Lots of retirements, crushing debt for students, and fewer churches able to pay. Work-arounds and creative solutions.
Obvious to some. Controversial to others. NPR interviews Lisa Miller, psychologist from Columbia University, about her research into health and happiness.
Phil Yancey’s latest blog about grace and lunch with the Irish super group.
More and more people are feeling betrayed and abused by the church. Why?
Don’t mistake the hit movie as shallow or silly — from “America” — the Jesuit magazine
Jason Aldean’s “Small Town” is part of a long history of country music going after big cities, often carrying racist messages.
Did the Protestant Reformers change and have new ideas on sexual ethics? Jason Lief, on The Reformational, engages Nick Wolterstorff’s recent piece on the CRC
Ben Corey on Patheos asks an interesting question. Shouldn’t intelligent atheists be more nuanced Bible readers?
NPR explores how megachurches continue to grow. Do they “drive out” the “mom and pop stores”/medium and small churches?
Lasso, Augustine, and Pelagius…oh my! From Han-Luen Kantzer-Komline in CT.
A retiring rabbi looks at the how religious practice can help in these divided, polarized days. From the New York Times — may be pay-walled.
The prophetic theologian discusses his presidential bid on “The Bottom Line.”
CNN’s brief snippet on the Christian Reformed Church’s recent Synod..
“Christianity was never meant to be cool” from the Sydney Morning Herald.
As his mother’s 99th birthday nears, Yancey has an imaginary conversation with Nick Wolsterstorff
A vast majority of the most popular and newest worship songs come from a small handful of charismatic megachurches.
The radical Catholic social activist is honored by the New York ferries.
More than 100 stories of loss, harm, and grief shared by members and employees of the Christian Reformed Church.
As Earth Day comes round again, can we say natural disasters are the result of sin? If so, what sins and whose sins?
Syd Hielema says there’s more in Psalm 23 than we might expect.
The two, young, expelled-and-now-reinstated Tennessee lawmakers cite the influence of faith-based activism upon them.
Is Judas beyond the reach of God’s love? Carol Bechtel wonders.
Attendance is down, but maybe not as much as reported. It is more complicated than just being down.
Antiracism has become a runaway train hijacked by managerial classes claiming the progressive banner.
Do Justice explores what it means to be an ally to people with disabilities.
Carol Bechtel looks at the troubling and controversial passages in 1 Corinthians.
What a decade of an open, curious, and non-defensive pope has done for the Catholic Church.
A review of the new film about the “Jesus Freaks” and Chuck Smith in the 1960s. From “The Anxious Bench” on Patheos.
What you need to know about Beth Moore is that she is human.
Comedian/actor Nick Offerman shares about encountering Wendell Berry as recorded Berry’s recent book for audiobooks.
“A Theology of the Present Moment”
Does require signing up for the New York Review of Books newsletter, or being a subscriber, for access.
As the nation unravels, what has been the role of American missions over the decades? From CT
Where do the Canadian churches stand as euthanasia increases there?
The well-known writer shares about the gift he didn’t want.
The author of Following Jesus in a Warming World.
(This is an excerpt found USA Today. The complete interview is in NYT, but likely
A fascinating, deep-dive into all the methods and traditions of Jewish engagement with scripture.
A relentless elder’s drive for justice for a woman disciplined 20 years ago leads to many similar stories of women being told to return to
Randall Balmer on the religious overtones in the football extravaganza.
The lesbian daughter of a Pentecostal preacher has been building community for over 20 years.
Ads during the Super Bowl are just part of a campaign to introduce Jesus to the public — funded, in part, by Hobby Lobby money
Rev. Sally Azar was ordained as a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.
The latest from Small Church Big Table. Shared leadership, transparency, and good enough.
Derek Schuurman of Calvin University examines this timely topic.
We recognize and condemn the role Christian Nationalism played in the violent, racist, anti-American insurrection.
Arthritis, asthma, cancer, and more. Research ongoing, especially on frankincense and myrrh in Cardiff, Wales.
What should we take away from the near-death of the the Buffalo Bills player?
140 people on a bus from Texas were dropped off outside Vice President Harris’ residence.
Twelve great poems for the 12 Days of Christmas. Mary Oliver, Jane Kenyon, Madeleine L’Engle and more — from the Englewood Review of Books.
Philip Yancey explores the swords mentioned in the birth and life of Jesus, who is our peace.
Christmas is Irrational: That’s Kind of the Point! Wes Granberg-Michaelson in Sojourners.
Is Mary’s portrayal a problem in an otherwise great movie, or is she the strength of the the Christmas classic?
The Reformation wasn’t very keen on Christmas — from Patheos
Franklin Graham attacks the pop-star for her affirming views of LGBTQ people.
Death penalty researchers found that mishandled incidents made up more than a third of the total number of execution attempts.
Fifteen striking findings by Pew Research in 2022.
Sin or Love? Why did God become human. Perhaps old theological debates are not trivial and arcane.
In her own inimitable style, Nadia on “the soul feeling its worth.”
What are churches doing this year when Christmas comes on Sunday and most have worship on Saturday evening, Christmas Eve?
The last week of Carol’s daily Advent devotions.
Hanukkah begins tomorrow. What do we know about Jesus and this Jewish festival? Phillip Jenkins on Patheos.
NPR reports on gardens, greenhouses, coffee houses, yoga, and more — church efforts to connect with people.
Busy-ness, Disabilities, Multitasking, and more from Mike Walker on the CRCNA’s “Do Justice”.
Coming out on the other side with hope — the latest from Small Church, BIg Table.
As the GOP seems to move away from Trump, will white Evangelicals join? Russell Moore is dubious.
Science and theology in dialog at the New York Review
Rienstra, Boogaart, House, Meyaard-Schaap, and Parks! Lots of familiar RJ names in a video conference from New Brunswick Seminary.
Michael Gerson died on November 17 from complications related to cancer. He was only 58 years old, and his untimely death is a national loss
Bono interviewed by CT in advance of his new memoir
Calvin’s board of trustees allows “gravamina” for faculty who disagree with recent actions of the CRCNA Synod.
Tourism for Calvinists?! A niche market for those who want to visit sites of tragedies.
Kristin Kobes DuMez talks about confronting our history in this TheoEd talk.
Garrison Keillor reflects on his experience of a recent Sunday worship service.
A wide-ranging study shows all sorts of interesting, and sometimes contradictory, views about the role of religion in public life.
Carol Bechtel on Jeremiah, the Great British Baking Show, and the Queen of Heaven. Quite a recipe!
The Center for Theological Inquiry interviews Andrew Davison, Starbridge Associate Professor in Theology and Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, about “life in the universe.”
Clay Libolt on fond memories and good accomplishments of the CRC, and how it is slipping away.
From “Small Church, BIg Table” what is good and what needs to go about this overburdened term?
Environmental risks disproportionately impact poor and minority communities.
When I got to the Mission, they took away my clothes, including the orange shirt! I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t give it back to
An Ohio pastor who guided the crowd with his bullhorn and pushed on police barricades is charged with felonies and misdemeanors.
The rise of the rural South and Sunbelt in American Evangelicalism, from Patheos.
The renowned Jewish biblical scholar looks the texts that typically come into play in discussions of welcoming LGBTQ people in the church.
Little churches still matter. How the community responded when the Venezuelan immigrants were sent without notice from Florida.
The impact of complementarian theology on women, from Patheos.
Writing in Sojourners, the former General Secretary of the RCA, shares his impression of the WCC assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Separation of church and state is “very thin, if not non-existent.” Eleven minute video clip from Meet the Press.
Kristin Kobe DuMez, part of a frightening piece about Christian Nationalism.
Approximately 86,000 Afghans have been resettled in the U.S. since July 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome
Smithsonian reports on a tenth-century manuscript looted from a Greek Orthodox monastery in WW I.
Noted biblical scholar explores some key biblical passages and themes.
The political power of this neo-Pentecostal movement only grows, as seen most recently in the Pennsylvania governor’s race.
Another tribute, this one from Martin Dotterweich, Director of the Frederick Buechner Institute for Faith & Culture.
A WaPo editorial, conservative Christian, Gerson, says Trump should fill Christians with rage
“Love of country as Love of neighbor.” An interview with Richard Mouw, also available as a YouTube video.
As organized religions decline, are young people finding religious impulses in fighting for justice?
“About four-fifths of our members live in the global south,” says Lessing.
Any wisdom here for the CRCNA or RCA as they splinter? Written with typical Willimon impertinence.
Moore shares his “shelf to remember” of Buechner favorites.
What if it’s okay to be “not a very good church”? From Small Church — Big Table.
Can we preach to invite rather than protect? From The Banner.
The US Department of Justice issues a subpoena to the largest Protestant denomination in the US, in the wake of a huge sexual abuse scandal.
The author of over 50 books of theology, fiction, autobiography, essays, and sermons.
A reply to possible new readings of John 11. Was Martha originally in the story?
Christians are in more danger of abusing their power than suffering abuse as a minority, writes historian Jerry Sittser.
What if mission trips are more about learning to be a guest than what we can fix or what we can see?
Bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead tries to explain his lavish lifestyle after a recent robbery and other recent accusations and criticism.
Relevant Magazine’s Senior Editor says Christian should be patriots but not nationalists.
Mary Magdalene and which Mary and what Gospel? From Diane Butler Bass at the Wild Goose Festival.
Our regular blogger, Debra Rienstra, was a recent guest on Calvin University’s January Series in July Series, speaking on her new book Refugia Faith.
The Englewood Review of Book shares the most anticipated books for Christians this fall — theology, church, fiction, poetry, young readers
Rev. Dr. Carmen Landsdowne, a pastor in Vancouver, elected to head the United Church of Canada.
Haaretz reports on a small lead tablet that may contain the earliest Israelite inscription. Who does it belong to? And to how significant is it?
White Christian Nationalism’s three key traits, according to CNN’s John Blake.
Best known as the author of “Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger” (1977), Sider died on July 27 of cardiac arrest.
Religious News Service reports on Pope Francis’ historic visit to Canada.
Naming pain, bedtime gratitude and five more from Small Church, Big Table
A report on President Biden’s private time at the Basilica of the Nativity during his recent trip to the Middle East, from America: The Jesuit
Twitter thread comparing the top 25 worship songs with the Psalms by Michael Rhodes
PC(USA) declares itself to be a “sanctuary and accompaniment” church.
Diana Butler Bass on Andy Stanley’s new book.
Christian colleges will inevitably be places of disagreement and debate if they are to value nuance and seek truth.
The US Speaker of the House was welcomed to the Sacrament on a recent visit to Rome, despite her home diocese refusing her over her
Huff Post Senior Correspondent, Jonathan Cohn, tries to understand Calvin U. and the Kuilema controversy.
In the light of the CRC Synod, the Calvin U prof responds to those who fan the flames of division, especially Rod Dreher.
A brief four-minute video Brooks at Biologos Conference commenting on faith.
Small Church-Big Table wonders if pastors can dare to be human.
An interesting 52 minute listen on the history, hows and whys of the confluence of white, American evangelicals and conservative politics…back to the 1800s.
Gun reform will be nearly impossible when gun rights and religion are so tightly entwined, says a study by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious
The high court completes its most consequential and controversial term in decades.
Religion News Service reports that the embattled congregation in Grand Rapids won’t remove the controversial Deacon.
Contemporary worship was a boomer thing. Apparently Gen X and Z more concerned with authenticity and earlier worship times.
How might predestination provide assurance in today’s world? Matthew Myer Boulton explores in The Christian Century.
When you preach, you’re not interpreting texts and creating community as much as you are, at the root, inviting people to experience Jesus, in all
Kristin Kobes DuMez is a guest on CNN discussing the rousing evangelical support for Walker’s Georgia Senate campaign, even after his recent acknowledgment that has
Graduates protested anti-LGBTQ+ policies at Seattle Pacific University’s recent graduation.
Meeting in Kansas City for their annual assembly, leaders of the Mennonite Church USA called for greater LGBTQ inclusion and repealed directives against officiating at
“How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church” in the Atlantic.
Stanley, who describes himself as “right-leaning politically,” puts out a new book “Not In It To Win It.”
Pew research says 1.6% of adults in the US are transgender or nonbinary.
The “big sort” — dividing ourselves into enclaves and clusters is tearing us apart — from Politico.
CRCNA Synod delegate refuses to rescind his remarks and loses the right to speak on the floor of Synod.
CRCNA Synod 2022 recommended the human sexuality report to Christian Reformed churches as a “useful summary of biblical teaching” on human sexuality. The vote was
Charlotte Bronte’s “The Missionary” provides insight into “why missions” and attitudes toward non-Christian religions that might be especially helpful to young people — so says
A study suggests that a “faith-based” life benefits learning, grades, and graduation rates, especially among working-class males.
A wonderful tribute to the great editor and baseball writer, Roger Angell, who died at age 101 — from the New Yorker.
Russell Moore in Christianity Today calls it an “apocalypse” not a crisis.
As Pentecost draws near, Reggie Smith examines the work of the Spirit and implications of Pentecost for today.
We know the influence of Paul’s letters, but are there good reasons to believe he probably wrote other letters and they were lost?
The recently retired Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church named the interim president of the NCC.
Kristin Kobes Du Mez writes on Saturday’s horrific shooting in Buffalo, New York; “replacement theory;” and silence of conservative Christians.
Frank Peretti’s novels of angels, demons, and corrupt liberal elites, now seem like reality to some Christians.
Abortion rates are already quite low. What might an end to Roe mean?
When you’re attacking Tim Keller as too soft and mellow, it might be a sign American evangelicals have gone too far — so says conservative
An Arkansas pastor’s departure demonstrates the strident extremes increasingly found in the white evangelical church. By Ruth Graham in NYT.
A look back at the racist roots of the religious right in this 2014 essay from Slate.
Carol Bechtel goes to the root of the Jonah saga. The worm gets his 15 minutes of fame!
The end of Communism, the religious right, strident rhetoric, the rise of the internet? What role did they all play in the rise of the
Claims to have found the site of Sodom and evidence of its destruction have unleashed a firestorm in the academic community.
Performative Christianity operates out of a place of assumed privilege. That is a privilege so taken for granted that the average American Christian has no
Adam Hochschild reviews three new books that examine the rise of the politics of resentment.
A historian recalls how those he thought were dangerous turned out to be helpful and wise.
Carey Nieuwhof explores what deconstruction is and what it isn’t.
For the second time, Rev. Dr. Ioan Sauca, acting General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, writes the Russian Patriarch asking for his help
Ryan Burge looks at the data. Is the American church’s obituary premature?
Who was the other walker with Jesus on the way Emmaus? How have artists portrayed the story?
Marc Chagall’s use of Christian symbols to express Jewish pain.
Calvin, Wheaton, Baylor, Liberty, Grove City. . . race, gender, and more.
Neil Postman warned that with television everything becomes a form of entertainment.
Two distinguished anthropologists present the William Weatherspoon Lecture on Theology and Science from the Center for Theological Inquiry
The two church leaders discussed the urgent need for peace in Ukraine.
Church history and its relevance today in understanding Putin’s aims.
Everything You Need To Know About Single-Use Plastic Bans And Plastic Bag Recycling.
In a rare move, the WCC’s General Secretary, himself Orthodox, called on Metropolitan Kirill, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, to intervene with authorities to
Wes Granberg-Michaelson says, “Putin needs the Russian Orthodox Church to baptize his crusade of nationalistic expansion and glory. The Russian Orthodox Church needs Putin to
Berry, now 87, shares a sprawling interview with the daughter of a former editor.
Both Russian and Ukrainian church leaders supported their nation’s actions.
Defiance and refusal are deep in the American mythos. Anti-vaxxers also often appealed to near-magical claims.
David Brooks talking to Tim Keller is not the way to refresh American evangelicalism, says Blake Chastain.
In a culture filled with conflict, even and especially in the church, how to be non reactive when accused and in times of tension.
Kristin Kobe DuMez interviewed by Baptist News Global prior to speaking at Baylor University.
They’re not especially plentiful, and much more centrist that other liberals.
Five tough questions about toxic church leadership from Small Church/Big Table.
All sorts of interesting finds about faith and pet ownership.
Waking up and staying awake is frequent admonition in scripture, Jan Edmiston reminds us.
This part of the conversation begins around the 4:00 mark of the video.
A sermon by the inimitable Nadia Bolz-Weber on the call of the disciples and great catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11).
David Brooks examines evangelical-dissenters, including Kristin Kobes DuMez.
Self-care is building a healthy, sustainable life that you don’t need to escape from.
Is the power and publicity of the Christian Right in the US behind the rise of the “nones”? Meanwhile, centrist and non-political evangelicals are forced
Is it Covid? For the first time, unhappy Americans outnumber happy Americans.
Carol Bechtel looks at the familiar and often troubling passage — Proverbs 31.
A critique of the Religious News Service article about the congregations leaving the Reformed Church in America. Headline could have read, “For now 95% of
Prohibition was a global movement, usually tied to progressive/radical politics. A review of Mark Lawrence Shrad’s “Smashing the Liquor Machine.”
Pastors and other church leaders and pillars — what do your children fear about coming out to you?
Is the rise of religious “nones” linked to the rise of Christian right?
Like “evangelical,” the term “Protestant” increasingly is seen as unhelpful and unfamiliar, especially among young people.
David French writes how a “post-Christian” USA animates and motivates a lot of American Christianity.
More child-free people, more pets, anthrozoology, alloparenting, and evolutionary biology…
Katharine Hayhoe interviewed by the New York Times.
A phenomenal digital resource, includes an essay by Kristin Kobes DuMez of Calvin University.
Who remembers church on New Years Eve? In the Black Church, Watch Night celebrated the Emancipation Proclamation.
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth has been embroidered upon in all sorts of interesting and compelling ways.
Robert Hudson’s new book “Seeing Jesus: Visionary Encounters from the First Century to the Present” is both devotional and skeptical, says the New Yorker
Jeff Chu interviewed On Point, especially as the final Rachel Held Evans book, Wholehearted Faith” is out — a book which Chu completed.
Moore’s critics (and some defenders, too) nearly melt down Twitter after pictures surface of her serving communion in her new church.
Often somewhat derided as expressing “American civil religion” or being too saccharine, is this Christmas classic actually a parable of the Gospel?
Carol Bechtel blogs on this woman in waiting.
Read the conclusion of the gay witch who wanted to discuss the bible with a pastor.
The latest from Pew — 40% call religion “very important” in their life. 25% attend worship weekly.
The likely overturning of Roe v. Wade symbolizes the end of the influence of 20th century liberal Protestantism.
In a different time, might “deconstructing” simply be considered as “discipleship”?
Tish Harrison Warren explores how Mary informs us today, from Sunday’s New York Times.
What informs today’s White Evangelicals? Theology or Culture? Scripture or Tradition? David French explores.
“Out of the blue, she messaged me saying she thought Jesus was speaking to her and she wanted to read the bible.”
Pew Research says few Americans blame God for the pandemic. Plus some interesting results in questions about heaven.
Ever hear of a Josephite marriage? A son looks back on his parents’ unusual marital arrangement.
Among American pastors under age 45, 46 percent have considered leaving ministry in the last year.
Self-defense and Natural Law and the Rittenhouse verdict, from the Christian Century
A five-minute interview from On Point: a pastor shares on the divisions, friction, and toll to his church during the past few years.
Listen as NPR’s On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti explores the causes and consequences of White Evangelical fear.
Too weird to be true! The actor playing Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar is charged for his role in storming the capitol on January 6.
What Americans hear about social justice at church — and what they do about it. From “The Conversation.”
The American church’s obsession with numbers — and how it distorts us, from The Presbyterian Outlook
Kobes DuMez is interviewed by Politico on “Why Republicans Can’t Stop Talking about Masculinity.”
Gwen Frisbie-Fulton on the Rittenhouse verdict. How does it feel to be celebrated for being bad?
The NRSVue (updated edition) is not a new translation but alters some wording for “modern sensibilities.”
Tish Harrison Warren talks with Deborah Haarsma, president of BioLogos.
Barr rebutts DeYoung’s review of her book, especially using Bridgit of Kildare and Genovefa of Paris.
Carol Bechtel explores Lamech in Genesis 4. Violence, vengeance, and hate speech.
NPR’s Sarah McCammon interviews Jeff Chu about completing RHE’s final book.
Check out this edition of a weekly blog coming out of City Church, Long Beach. This week Bill and Brenna discuss deconstructing.
Tisby considers his own upbringing and how the new Netflix docudrama might have helped him as a young man.
The American Protestant church is losing “elasticity” — the ability to stretch across differences. Big tents are out. Purity and homogeneity are in.
Most churches have “re-opened” now. Is the aftermath more challenging than the first months of the pandemic?
Churches in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and elsewhere in Africa continue to be strongly anti-LGBTQ+, often advocating for punishment of LGBTQ+ persons.
The “southernization” of American evangelicalism, as the influence of institutions like Christianity Today, the National Association of Evangelicals, and Wheaton Colleges wanes.
Memories of how a Republican Midwestern governor welcomed refugees from southeast Asia in the 1970s and 80s.
The patron saint of those who question and grow weary of pat answers, maybe the Martin Luther of a new reformation?
The Pope released a 38 minute video talk addressing all sorts of topics — shortening the work day, pharmaceuticals releasing patents, and more.
Non-binary and transgender people do not reject Scripture or the God the Bible, says a Jewish scholar.
“Evangelical” is just another word for Republican — so says Political Scientist Ryan Burge.
Peter Wehner writes in The Atlantic about the conflict within evangelical churches over politics and culture-wars. Lots of input from Kristin Kobes DuMez.
Is the label “Evangelical” purely political and beyond redemption?
The DIocese of Catania in Sicily experiments with banning the practice of godparents, saying it has lost “all spiritual significance.”
I’m missing the friction that should exist between a faithful life and accepted normalcy. Maybe I miss the weirdness of my poor, Jesusy, hippie childhood
Barr’s strong reply to DeYoung, and even more a complete take down of the sexism and bias of the English Standard Version of the Bible.
The progressive Christian festival in North Carolina’s mountains struggles to address the deep racism built into so much of its assumptions.
Meeting in Tucson, Arizona, the widest decision-making body of the Reformed Church in America is on the verge of fracturing.
The acerbic comedian, who died last month, hinted at faith and became gentler in comedy, as he aged.
The show may not only be popular, it may be important and teach us about true discipleship.
From the 11th to 13th centuries, Europe experienced a warm period. How did it affect the Church?
Michael Gerson writes on the departing head of NIH, Francis Collins.
What if the award-winning show is about more than simply a “nice-guy”?
Former blogger on The Twelve, Jes Kast, explains her changing understanding of abortion in this 2019 interview.
What make you angry? And how might you process your anger?
Do you know your enneagram type?
The recent census numbers confirm how multi-cultural the US is becoming. Immigrants may revive American evangelicalism.
Much media and scholarly attention has pointed toward the coming “liberal” young Mormons. But it will it actually bring about change in the LDS?
Troll Farms in Macedonia and Ukraine are especially successful in targeting American Christians on social media.
Christian colleges were typically begun to serve the church. Over time, their support and constituents have broadened. Can a Christian college support church, business, and
A Catholic perspective that asks if the theology used to explain a male-only priesthood can really be so cleanly separated from the Church’s long history
“The first step toward recovery is to separate being white from being Christian.”
Trump supporters were likely to adopt the label “evangelical” — even if they previously did not self-identify way. Did they have a religious experience or
The roots of the anti-abortion movement are in the reaction against desegregating schools. And views on abortion have been increasingly partisan and polarized over the
Pentecostals increasingly use the shofar in their rituals, including the January 6 capitol insurrection.
It’s time to stop making excuses and enabling non-vaxxers who claim religious grounds, writes David French.
Our own David Hoekema writes about art on the border wall in the Christian Century.
President Biden’s use of Isaiah 6 drew ire from all sorts of Christians. Turns out, it’s been used before, and often, by voices in the
Chuck DeGroat answers critics who say empathy makes us too soft and leads us away from God’s truth.
Well-known hymn-writer, Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, offers “A Hymn for Places Where War Leads to War.”
What does John’s Piper’s wishful thinking about his hero, Jonathan Edwards, tell us about Piper? Chris Gehrz writes on Patheos.
Beverly Gaventa pushes back against Hauerwas and Willimon’s controversial Christian Century article on pastoral care. The link to that piece, along with another reply are
New York Times columnist Ross Douthat invites people to consider faith, saying that the advances of science and modern society make faith more plausible, not
How do surveys identify “evangelicals”? Who defines “born again”? Views of who will be saved may be most indicative.
In a possible model for other schools, Birmingham-Southern College, outsmarts a state ban on COVID vaccination passports.
Olympic beach volleyball and handball, as well as gymnastics bring a spotlight to different dress codes for athletes. Freedom? Body-shaming? Privacy?
The artifacts, looted from Iraq, included many held by Hobby Lobby’s Museum of the Bible, and also Cornell University.
Absolute certainty doesn’t serve us well as Christians. But it doesn’t serve former Christians well either.
The abortion debate divides along class boundaries. What actually changes lives rather than trying to change minds?
Reversing his predecessor, Pope Francis restricted the use of Latin Mass, saying it was divisive and a tool used by Catholics opposed to the reforms
Wes Granberg-Michaelson wonders if the pandemic has made us hungrier for physicality and place. Maybe hungrier for pilgrimages?
“A Christian theology of human fallibility leads us to expect structural and personal injustice. It is in the texts we hold dear. So when Christians
Jesus and John Wayne, Kristin DuMez’s book continues to sell and attract media attention.
David French writes that its easier to have “factional” friends — people we don’t really know but agree with our opinions and politics, than face-to-face
The liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan, associated with the Reformed Church in America, aims to raise its endowment to $1 billion and then to
When does borrowing from others become plagiarism in preaching? A controversy among the Southern Baptists touches on a larger question.
Believed to be a first, Jacob Steinmetz, a hard-throwing pitcher from Long Island, New York and an Orthodox Jew, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks
We’ve been missing a specific kind of joy during the pandemic — the joy of being together, a joy that multiplies.
The proudly conservative Bible translation, that has accused other English translations of cultural accommodation and going PC, is found to be doing its own editing
I’m angry that Christians are not just complicit in but actively blameworthy for the earth’s ruin. I’m angry that well-meaning, well-educated people take comfort in
Two surprises in a huge survey of religion in the US: white mainline Christians overtake white Evangelicals as the dominant Protestant group, and the growth
A recent study finds there are about 1.2 million people in the US who identify as nonbinary — mostly white, young, and urban. They face
Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington DC, released a statement saying it has a long tradition of welcoming all to its Masses.
A Lutheran pastor shares how a different form of prayer was an important breakthrough for her.
The TV show about Jesus flies below the radar of most media critics, but apparently it’s pretty good, and has found an audience.
The Methodist Church in Britain, the fourth largest Christian group in Britain, voted 254-46 to allow same-sex marriage.
Words and phrases tossed around like we agree on what they mean — socialism, woke, cancel culture.
How a documentary filmmaker became a celebrity by inflaming “Critical Race Theory.”
Overall giving increased last year. “Church-related” giving was up, but not as significantly as overall giving, and as a portion of overall giving, church giving
Religious “residue” continues to influence the ethics of the “formerly religious,” according a recent study.
There’s a small revival of this minimalist architecture that first appeared in the days after World War II.
Despite warnings from the Vatican, American Roman Catholic bishops voted by 75-25% margin to draft a statement aimed at denying communion to President Biden for
Amanda Beckenstein Mbuvi is named Vice President of Academic Affairs at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, outside Philadelphia.
Neo-Confederates, sexual abuse cover-up, threats, and more. Russel Moore’s leaked letter lays it all out.
A wise and gentle essay on Critical Race Theory from David Dark
Massachusetts fisherman swallowed and then spit out by a humpback whale
The anti-transgender bills in many states are a solution in search of a problem.
When we lose a beloved pet, we often wonder. For kids, it may be one of their first “theological” questions. Western Seminary’s Carol Bechtel explores.
We’re used to thinking that religion shapes our politics. Long-time writer and observer of American religion, Kenneth L. Woodward, suggests it may be just the
These are delicate and tricky conversations to have in churches. It’s easy to be misunderstood.
The Winnipeg Jets remembered the 215 First Nations children whose remains were recently found at a former residential school in British Columbia.
Even before the pandemic, data suggests that more churches are closing than opening in the US
Virginia Theological Seminary, a school of the Episcopal Church located in Alexandria, has begun offering cash payments to the descendants of former workers
A recent survey indicates that those who consider their religious faith “vital to the lives” seem to have coped better during the pandemic. “Religiosity seems
Not all “Christian Nationalists” are particularly Christian, but all share a deep distrust of democracy and are actively undermining it in the US.
Our dad will not walk in the parade wearing his uniform. He declines politely every year when he is asked. He says he no longer
American evangelicals have crafted their own historical narratives for many decades. The truth can be deeply disruptive.
After public push back, HarperCollins, publisher of the NIV Bible, has pulled out of a deal to produce the “God Bless the USA” Bible.
Brief and insightful update on the current conflict. What’s happening? What voices do we hear in North America?
We’ve heard a lot about the “young nones.” Maybe they aren’t so secular after all. They’re simply non-traditionally religious. Jason Lief looks at Tara Isabella
Bethany Christian Services, the largest Protestant adoption agency in the US, stirred up controversy recently when it changed its policies about adopting to LGBTQ couples.
The violence in Gaza has made many younger American Jews more vocally critical of the Israeli actions, even as antisemitism increases in the US.
A Christian writes from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the violence in Palestine and Israel. A long, loving look at what is real.
How can you defend White evangelicals?
When I talk to readers and people in my community about faith and my relationship with Jesus, this is
Do we exclude and dominate through our talking? Has Zoom made it worse? How can we leave open space for others in conversation?
As a priest, I’m tired of a political battle that distracts from the gospel.
In the 1970s, evangelicals were told that good wives should “cure” men’s lust. Still today, this makes men’s “moral failings” the fault of a negligent
Already stretched thin, these clergy found the demands of the pandemic — from producing video church to combating conspiracy theories — took all the joy
Medicine has limits. But as John Calvin knew, it can be an extraordinary gift from God.
We’ve talked a lot about Covid-deniers, mask-refusers, and reckless behavior during the pandemic. But what about those who now cannot reenter society, even though they’ve
Is there a way to hold Pentecostal prophets to some standard, some accountability? Conservative David French seems to think so, or maybe hopes so.
Absent from most of our climate-related emotional inventory is delight, contentedness or joy.
“We have been trained to see adoption as a fairy-tale ending to a tragic story, one that elides the birth mother’s complex feelings about relinquishing
A new study explores what sort of parenting is most successful at passing along religious commitment.
The United States demands too much wisdom from Black parents. We must walk that fine line between telling the truth about how cruel America can
A study in the American Sociological Review finds that women who attend churches with restrictions on their leadership roles are less healthy than women attending
Congratulations to Jim Schaap, regular contributor to The Twelve. “The Story of Chief Standing Bear,” a four-part series on “Small Wonders,” his weekly feature on
“Things were so hectic, people didn’t really have a chance to say, ‘Hey, I’m hurting.’ It took time. With PTSD and moral injury, when that
NPR interviews Beth Barr, church historian, on her new book, The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became the Gospel Truth,
In 2014, 276 mostly Christian female students were kidnapped by an Islamic terrorist group. Some have escaped and some were rescued but 111 are still
Kristin Kobes DuMez writes autobiographically on the messages she received growing up about women’s leadership in the church
Philip Yancey offers three points to better and more civil conversations.
These bills are not addressing any real problem, and they’re not being requested by constituents. It is an effort driven by national far-right organizations to
Carol Bechtel writes, “Hope, as it turns out, is amazingly elastic. By God’s grace, it will stretch.”
Franklin Graham cites the Parable of the Good Samaritan to encourage his followers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
What would it mean to look at a difficult situation and ask ‘What have you come to teach me?’
Randy Woodley on why our environmental crisis is rooted in a European worldview. The cure will require white humility.
In a Twitter thread on Wednesday, Moore distanced herself from the evangelical view that men and women have distinct roles and that headship is a
Black churches have been working hard to address the concerns of community members wary of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Most Americans know the President is a Roman Catholic. Whether or not he’s a “good Catholic” depends — not surprisingly — on who you ask.
Esau McCaulley on why the holiday is about much more than a celebration of spring.
This past Sunday, my Calvin History Department colleagues and I were shocked to learn of the sudden death of our beloved colleague, Bert de Vries.
America’s religious life will be shaped not by secularization alone.
Twenty years ago, Professor Dale Brown introduced me to “A Small, Good Thing,” a short story by Raymond Carver. I will tell you the story
In January, the Diocese of Washington’s convention approved a resolution “to remedy passages that use language that has been interpreted as anti-Semitic while maintaining the
Did racism or theology or gender motivate the shootings in Georgia? All of the above.
Nearly five years after it hit best-seller lists, a book that purported to be a 6-year-old boy’s story of visiting angels and heaven after being
Christ harrows hell, and nowhere are we beyond the hand that holds that harrow.
Why one man started an Instagram account showing churches’ wealth.
More evangelicals are living together before marriage. Church leaders struggle to respond.
When Yaa Gyasi’s book rocketed up the charts after last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, she grieved. Treating authors of colour as tools for self-improvement
I don’t do suffering well. In fact, I despise suffering and I’ve been habituated to respond to suffering with answers.
Over the last two decades, Dave Ramsey’s name has been synonymous with evangelicalism and money. Although some Christians reject Ramsey’s financial advice and the theology
With a churchgoing Democrat in the White House, faith becomes more complicated in America. Thank God.
Sometimes sacrifice is an act of love.
When Peterson died in 2018, many wondered what he actually thought about same-sex relationships.
The move by Jesuit priests is the largest such effort by the Roman Catholic Church and comes amid growing calls for reparations across the United
As religious faith has declined, ideological intensity has risen. Will the quest for secular redemption through politics doom the American idea?
A teacher on biblical topics, she cited the “staggering” disorientation of seeing denominational leaders support Donald J. Trump, among other issues.
This cosmic megastructure may be the key to resurrection—and immortality.
The peculiarities of how American Christianity took shape help explain believers’ vulnerability to conspiratorial thinking and misinformation.
I’m throwing in my lot with the poets and painters, the novelists and songwriters.
Debra Rienstra is a regular on The Twelve, and we at The Reformed Journal are fans of her Refugia podcast. Many of the episodes feature
Carol Bechtel, Professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary, provides regular biblical insights on her blog.
