From the Editors
Experiencing prison
Legislative action may be slow, but a new consensus is emerging: massive incarceration is unsustainable, both morally and financially.
Rwanda and after
On the international scene, Rwanda has become a synonym for doing nothing in the face of genocide. After 20 years, what's changed?
Money talks
Eroding campaign finance rules gives wealthy donors more power. It may also generate cynicism and political disengagement.
Whose religious freedom?
The RFRA is a good law. But it wasn’t designed to grant religious rights to businesses—or to let people impose their beliefs on others.
Borderland speech
The best outcome of the tensions in Ukraine would allow the country to develop its unique role as a bridge between languages and cultures.
Wages to spend
Washington is finally talking about increasing the minimum wage. Such a move comes with costs, but the benefits are far greater.
Re-forming church
It's hard to categorize the various energies shaping new and renewed congregations. But it's clear that a new kind of church is in the making.
Innovative moment
It would be a shame if the crisis in seminary education didn’t lead to fresh thinking about how the church calls, trains and places leaders.
Safety net successes
Sen. Rubio would replace the EITC with wage supplements. He’s offered few details, but at least he agrees $18,000 is not enough to support a family.
Investment option
Ministry is an undertaking of the entire church. Ministers flourish when they share their experience and reflect on it with others.
Boehner’s move
The budget deal was no grand bargain, but there was one grand outcome: the House Speaker stood up to the insurgent right. Is this the new normal?
Joyous gospel
As Francis sees it, the joy of the gospel is rooted in an experience of God's love in Jesus. And this gospel gets people involved in the world's messiness.
Prayer in the town hall: Is it constitutional?
A truly nonsectarian prayer would be so vague as to hardly constitute prayer. Besides, government can't assume the task of scrutinizing prayers.
Entitled to eat
Food stamps are efficient, effective and good for the economy. So should we cut them a lot, or just a little?
Persecuted
Between 2006 and 2010, Christians faced some form of discrimination in 139 countries—almost three-fourths of the world's nations.
Pastor as pope
Pope Francis understands that people are rarely argued into the church, but they are often loved into it.
Obamacare for real
Obamacare's hard-line opponents aren't worried that the law won't work as planned. They're worried that it will.
Deciding on Syria
In the face of huge unanswered questions and with the unpredictable outcome of any act of war, U.S. military action against Syria is unwarranted.
Islam and democracy
The prospects for genuine democracy in Egypt are more remote than ever. But there are other models of Islamic politics in the region.
McWages
Fast-food workers think they deserve $15 an hour. If it looks like they are overreaching, that's just because they're so woefully underpaid now.