Latest Articles
Rockwell the activist
The US government is deploying Norman Rockwell’s paintings of idealized American life as propaganda. Those who are preserving his legacy are not happy.
I’m dreaming of a disarmed faith
In the Bethlehem cattle stall, no coercion is in the air. No imposition of will.
December 7, Advent 2A (Matthew 3:1-12)
Even if repentance begins right now, it feels too late for anything to change.
Our appetites and our lives (Romans 13:11-14)
Paul has some quite specific recommendations about our preparedness for the day of salvation.
I keep listening for the chorus
My partial hearing loss is teaching me about Advent waiting and finding my place in God’s song.
A theology of impossible cheeseburger pie
A seminary cookbook from 1984 led me to revisit the potlucks—and the beliefs—of my midwestern childhood.
A tale of two Thanksgivings
Two adjacent items in a 1943 issue of The Saturday Evening Post highlight the conflict—and joy—inherent in our mythic meal.
The relief people need
David Zahl focuses on sharing a gospel that’s unapologetically about the grace of God.
Where God waits in line
In 2019, Cristina Rathbone immersed herself in a tent camp at the border in Juárez, Mexico.
November 30, Advent 1 (Matthew 24:36-44)
We are called to be ready, to be alert to God’s kingdom breaking in anywhere, anytime.
The heft of a pulpit Bible
As I pressed my sermon’s pages across the book’s valley, I couldn’t keep them from sliding into the groove.
Practicing patience in difficult times
I want to be able to take my days and transform them into beauty. This fall in Chicago, it has felt like time is running out.
Training faith leaders to work against suicide
“Suicide happens because of loss of hope and loss of social connection,” says Michelle Snyder of Soul Shop. “What if we became a church where no one loses hope and no one is alone?”
King of mercy (Luke 23:33-43)
Unlike many politicians, Jesus did what he said he would do.