Life of Faith
When liturgy embraces difference
Rebecca Spurrier’s study of a “disabled church” and its lessons for all Christians
What if we treated all of creation—plants and stars, soil and rivers—as our kin?
Biblical scholar Mari Joerstad and indigenous activist Nick Estes challenge our human-centered worldview.
A congregation’s commitment to live out “We do”
We say these words a lot. Lately I’ve noticed what it looks like when we follow through.
January 12, Baptism of the Lord (Matthew 3:13–17)
Jesus knows he’s part of a history, a people’s longing and dreams.
When a father and husband walked out, grace called him home
I preached a word of judgment. The stranger in the back row heard grace.
A lapsed Catholic’s unexpected devotion
Searching for the Mary statue from her childhood, Sonja Livingston found much more.
January 6, Epiphany of the Lord (Matthew 2:1–12)
Genealogies suggest a beautiful inevitability even amid political impossibility.
In Advent and Christmas, desolation and consolation reside together
This time of year, our inner landscapes can seem as bleak as the outer ones.
Has family become an idol?
The Bible gives no sense that the family is an end in itself.
The SAT is unfair. My son is studying for it anyway.
It’s hard to quit the college admissions game.
How people deal with pointless suffering
Scott Samuelson considers seven responses to the age-old mystery.
What does a fair trade logo actually mean?
Churches that support the movement should confront the gap between its vision and its accomplishments.
Reading Toni Morrison in Advent
A seasonal practice: cultivate the patient gaze to describe life as we find it.
When hope gives up on magical results
Since my son’s accident, everything I understand about hope has changed.
Two glimpses into Judaism in America
Steven Weisman looks at the development of the Reform movement. Jack Wertheimer focuses on the present and future.
A barbershop births a church of drug users, ex-cons, and homeless folks
Others have given up on them, but not God.
December 15, Advent 3A (Matthew 11:2–11; Psalm 146:5–10; James 5:7–10)
In his response to John, Jesus speaks of hope in the present tense.