Many churches in the small country towns where I grew up have large wooden boards af xed to the back wall. On these boards are recorded, usually in faded yellow-gold text,...

Afew months ago I attended a funeral for my friend John. John had been a minister for over fty years, mostly serv- ing as a rural parson in agricultural communities in...

The number of movies about superheroes seems to have exploded in past decade. Some scholars have suggested that the popularity of superhero stories develops because they take the place of local...

Humans expend a lot of effort in trying to make peace with their gods. We tend to attribute value and worth to many different (false) gods: success, wealth, tribal or national...

Sometimes we nd it hard to be joyful and offer praise to God—especially when our present circumstances overwhelm us. The pressures of life—expectations, busyness, illness, worry, addiction— ll our lives and...

Akind of stunned bemusement sometimes emerges unbidden at times of surprise, especially when our clearest thinking and best analysis make us expect failure. When success emerges through a con uence of...

Over the past few years the challenge of hospitality and welcome for refugees eeing war and persecution has once again confronted wealthy Western countries. Countries in Western Europe, North America, and...

Jesus commands the remnant of his community to make disciples everywhere, baptizing in the name of the triune God those whom they invite to join God’s mission of love and justice....

The risen Jesus promised the members of his community that he would be with them always. He would be with them when their mission met resistance. They would know his pres-...

Paul offers advice to the Christians at Corinth and hints of a troubled past relationship between him and the church. Though he urges the community to love the member of the...