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That Which Has Brought Me Joy This Summer
1. The feel of a ripe tomato, the size of my hand, pulled off a vine. Yes, there may be spots on it. Turns out

The View from the Top of the Obama Center
This place is significant to people. Tickets were sold out months in advance. Out-of-state plates lined the surrounding streets.

When Explanation Becomes Excuse: A Response to George Marsden
It isn’t as simple as White evangelical loyalty to the Republican Party merely carrying over to Trump. If anything, it is the reverse.

Asking “Why” Instead of “What” in American History
What can I say other than I just can’t settle? I’m not content with “what,” I want to know “why.” Among the many reasons I

Making It Complex: A Variety of Confessions from Refugee Theologians
Reformed theology was often birthed in the pain of exile, among religious refugees.

It’s Good to Be Back at the Potluck
Grey concrete or green crops, God is faithful. And this gives me so much comfort in the rolling hills of life.

Summer Book(s) Report
Back-to-School Report My son is furiously attempting to finish Lord of the Flies. His high school requires students to read a book over summer break,

Cedar House
My little cabin is being consumed by the understory minions. Moss grows on the old shingles. Part of me would stand aside and welcome them.

“What only you can give”
I still remember the moment in one of my college classes when someone observed that Jane Austen didn’t really “do” description. It struck me because

Living at the Speed of Baseball
I set myself a challenge: make it through an entire baseball game without picking up my phone.

There’s Something Happening Here
His genuine, empathetic demeanor threatens the system — the understood strong masculine hierarchy— with words like unity and love.

A Wager
If we are followers of Jesus, we must decide how we will relate to the larger, historic Christian tradition—with its beauties and profound shortcomings.