I have recently stumbled upon an interesting book, filled with insight into our peculiarly American culture and way of life: Euphemania, by Ralph Keyes (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2010). The title of this book tells you precisely what … (read more)
It has become fashionable in some circles to propose an even-handed, levelheaded, non-extreme interpretation of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Something a bit less dramatic (and a bit more manageable) than the Victorious Lord of Life crashing out of his … (read more)
I have been thinking lately about stone jars. Stone jars figured prominently in the gospel text for the Second Sunday of Epiphany, read all around the world a few weeks ago. I was visiting friends and colleagues in India at … (read more)
Ten days ago I visited a friend who several weeks earlier had told me about the gossip going around concerning “religion spreaders.” She had wanted to warn me to “be careful.” Now we were alone in the single, cluttered room … (read more)
Over the past few months we have considered Martin Luther’s counsel regarding prayer. In 1535, he wrote a booklet on the topic. This month we conclude with a final bit of Luther’s profound and practical advice. When you pray, Luther … (read more)
On the way to the office earlier this week, while listening to the radio, I heard report of an interesting study in human psychology. The study examined our innate sense of directionality – or, as it turns out, our utter … (read more)
I have recently spent a week or so in the Book of Jonah. There is high adventure in this book: a missionary calling disastrously deferred; a crashing storm at sea; a whale of a fish who intervenes when all seems … (read more)
“And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a … (read more)
“The love of Christ controls us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14) I learned a new word recently, a word that comes from the strange world of theoretical physics. (My son is a budding physicist; we talk about stuff like this around our … (read more)