Church
Pastors in exile
Clergy who have fled Russian-occupied Ukraine are finding new ways to provide pastoral care for parishioners who are still there.
Shared songs with new meaning
My colleague’s Black church was taking a break from anti-racism work with White churches. So we decided to sing together.
God’s relentless gaze
Like the surveillance state, the Christ Pantocrator icon asserts an omnipresent authority. But it also asserts divine mercy and love.
Sarah Mullally breaks the Anglican Communion’s glass ceiling
I celebrate the milestone of the first woman to become archbishop of Canterbury. But I worry there’s a glass cliff waiting for her.
Pastors and professionals
The church doesn’t just need leadership development. It needs processes, ongoing assessment, and shared accountability.
Mennonites and the long shadow of ethnic identity
Denominations often struggle to separate faith from ethnicity. Hyung Jin Kim Sun has experienced this firsthand.
Reclaiming “church politics”
Ross Kane argues that politics is about congregational life and governance—not just statecraft.
Preaching outside the box
Donyelle McCray takes readers on a tour of the edges of homiletics, exploring Black Americans’ gospel proclamation in various forms.
What do people in their 20s want from church?
Churches try all kinds of tricks. But new research indicates that the answers are surprisingly traditional.
Mother Emanuel’s long struggle
In his history of the Charleston congregation, Kevin Sack frames the 2015 mass murder as the culmination of 200 years of persecution.
Guestability
Churches tend to equate the notion of inclusion with hospitality. Peter and Cornelius suggest a more nuanced definition.
What is religious freedom for?
The church’s calling is far more exciting and urgent than endorsing political candidates.
Seeking racial solidarity at a Cincinnati megachurch
Hahrie Han follows four people—two Black and two White—through their church’s racial justice program.
I’m learning to let go of ‘preaching pretty’
Some Sundays, my congregation needs a word that’s more raw than polished.