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July 5, 2017

Volume 134, Issue #14

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Features

What does Christian vocation look like for the elderly?

God calls us to serve the world with our bodies—even when those bodies are failing.

by Joyce Ann Mercer

Critical Essay

How Kathryn Tanner’s theology bridges doctrine and social action

Lots of theologians want to challenge economic injustice. Not many draw their arguments from Anselm and Aquinas.

by Amy Plantinga Pauw

Critical Essay

Remembering Luther’s 95 Theses without forgetting the cross

Or, to paraphrase Thesis 17: Purgatory now!

by Paul R. Hinlicky

Critical Essay

Brian Doyle’s ferocious attention

Doyle’s exuberant writing praised particular things in rich detail. It cut to the pulsing heart of life.

by Jonathan Hiskes

First Person

Why I stay: A prayer

Because my yearning comes from somewhere, and that somewhere must be you.

by Debie Thomas

Books

image of Mary Clark Moschella book about joy and social justice

Finding joy while fighting injustice

To Mary Clark Moschella, joy is a countercultural phenomenon.

by Anthony B. Robinson

image of Barry Hankins' book on Woodrow Wilson's faith and politics

Woodrow Wilson’s troubling faith

Wilson adopted a brand of social Christianity that justified white supremacy and more.

by Heath W. Carter

An evangelist for archaeology

We can’t all be Indiana Jones, but now we can read about why archaeology matters.

by Valerie H. Pennanen

picture of Philip Kolin's poetry collection about Benedictine life

Poems in honor of a Benedictine life

Philip Kolin's longtime spiritual director was a chain-smoking oblate who fed everyone.

by Paul Mariani

Departments

The other Eastern churches

More than 60 million of the world’s Christians are members of churches that have been around since Chalcedon—and rejected it.

by Philip Jenkins

Faith Matters

Anxious about anxiety

How can we overcome our anxiety? And should we even try?

by Carol Zaleski

On Art

Tucson Sector Deaths 2000–2001 Quilt, from the Migrant Quilt Project

designed and created by Betty Kersting

Jody Ipsen hikes remote Arizona migrant trails with members of Los Desconocidos (the “unknowns”), cleaning up campsites and recycling cans and water bottles left behind by migrants....

Art selection and comment by Lil Copan

First Words

Us, them, and the pronouns we use

Small words can say a lot about how we see our place in the world.

by Peter W. Marty

From the Editors

On climate, the world moves on without the U.S.

Trump can't stop the international community from taking action.

News

A Jordanian city offers lessons on peace among Christians and Muslims

(The Christian Science Monitor) Maher Habashneh had just one thing in mind when militants from the self-described Islamic State seized the Crusader castle in Karak, Jordan, in December...

by Taylor Luck

Pastor engages interfaith leaders to resist extremism in Nigeria

Abare Kallah is bringing together both Christians and Muslims harmed by Boko Haram.

by Celeste Kennel-Shank

People

Pastor and psychology professor to lead Reformed Church in America seminary

Micah McCreary, who is a pastor, professor, and psychologist, will be president of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, beginning in the role on July 15....

by Stephen Mann

People

Ukrainian pastors aid neighbors on both sides of front line

When armed men arrived at a Light of the Gospel church in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, they searched the basement for weapons. There were no weapons; instead one of the men found a file with the names of people the church is assisting....

by Julie Bell

People