Stanley and friends
There will never be another like Hauerwas. His piety-free personality guarantees that.
Gifts of the table
The Eucharist gives us innumerable gifts, but we may think of its power especially in terms of three.
Christians without church
Like many baptized, praying Christians her age, my daughter is not a regular churchgoer. What difference does it make?
Walter White’s many sins
It’s not clear whether Walt will violently lose his life in the Breaking Bad finale. It is bitter irony and justice that he will lose his family.
The power of sisterhood
In Sisterland, Curtis Sittenfeld continues writing about women but not only for women.
Stories for dinner
My wife I took our annual summer trip to Oklahoma, and as usual we visited a host of relatives. Among the deceased relatives I keenly miss on these trips are my grandparents....
Prayer in the whirlwind
The answer that comes out of a tornado is not the kind of answer we want.
‘To the wonder’
Terrence Malick has become the psalmist of film. His characters continually ask the fundamental questions of theological pursuit.
Empathy in satire
One of the premier pleasures of reading is finding a new author. I recently discovered George Saunders's comic touch and sympathetic characters.
Back to centered
When I cling to anxieties or resentments, my whole body is like a clenched fist. Contemplative prayer requires unclenching it.
The art of puttering
Multitasking is marked by a sustained sense of urgency in a world mediated by communication devices. Puttering is something different.
More than entertainment
Filmmakers often defend cinematic violence by drawing a line between entertainment and the real world. But this devalues their work.
Homeland insecurity
The TV series Homeland raises some grave real-world questions.
Blessed technology
I work remotely, out of my home office. As such I am dependent on the smooth and ready operation of computer equipment. Recently I encountered some hitches.
Discomfort food
The Gideon Bible treats the Bible as comfort food. But a diet of the Bible consists of conflict and confrontation.
Personal soundtrack
After school, I was milking the cow and listening to the radio when I heard a menacing baritone intone the words, "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die." It made an impression.