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May 6, 2020

Volume 137, Issue #10

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Features

First Person

My theological wake-up call at Walmart

We’re too often blind to what God sees.

by D. L. Mayfield

Readers Write

Plate: Essays by readers

We gave our readers a one-word writing prompt: “Plate.”

Critical Essay

Are we really “at war” with the coronavirus?

The language of war garners collective resolve. But that’s not all it does.

by Jason A. Mahn

First Person

How do we remember people killed by police?

Call their names. Tell their stories. Confess our role.

by Emily M. D. Scott

First Person

In this Easter season, words fail

After the resurrection, the disciples’ words failed too.

by Ruth Everhart

Books

An invitation to walk with poetry

Two books offer entrance points for the intimidated.

by Jeffrey L. Johnson

Discord on Plymouth Rock

TaraShea Nesbit’s novel about the Mayflower pilgrims and their conflicts

by Katherine Willis Pershey

How dying churches abuse pastors

Gene Fowler examines why traumatized congregations so often attack their leaders.

by Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner

Nice and normal in the heartland

Phil Christman explores the idea of the Midwest.

by Amy Frykholm

Departments

Faith Matters

How do we keep time during a pandemic?

When all days seem alike, maybe the best unit of measure is love.

by Stephanie Paulsell

Is Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle really “the Asian Francis”?

The media portrays him as a progressive. It’s not that simple.

by Philip Jenkins

First Words

The coronavirus pandemic is nurturing neighborliness

We seem to be relearning the social benefits of building community with our not-so-close neighbors.

by Peter W. Marty

On Art

Back Window and Welcome Home, by Leslie Williams

Artist and color theorist Josef Albers influenced generations of artists. Among them is Leslie Williams. She describes the impact of his thought as the beginning of “a love affair with color . . ....

art selection and comment by Lil Copan

From the Editors

Wisconsin’s voting problems began long before the pandemic

Those in power have been working for years to prevent votes from counting.

News

California, New York provide hotel rooms to people who are homeless and released from jail

Two hotels near the airport in Oakland, California, are receiving unusual guests now that coronavirus has eviscerated tourism: people who are homeless after being released from jail....

by Abbie VanSickle

People

Muslim magazine editor Amani al-Khatahtbeh announces Congress run

Amani al-Khatahtbeh, founder of Muslim Girl, has become the first Muslim woman to run for Congress in New Jersey....

by Aysha Khan

People

Cardinal George Pell released from prison, assault charges dropped

Cardinal George Pell, who was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted in late 2018 of the sexual assault of an underage choirboy in the late 1990s, was released April 7 in Australia and all charges were dropped....

by Claire Giangravé