By Molly T. Marshall Recently I had the privilege of attending a presentation at the Yale Club in New York City to hear a report on the project that seeks to ascertain what it means to live a well-lived life….
If you are able
By Molly T. Marshall I attended Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., this past Sunday. It is a historic African-American church, ably led by Dr. Wallace S. Hartsfield II, scholar of Hebrew Bible. It is a teaching church…
Where is the fire?
By Molly T. Marshall Great movements arise out of passion. Whether it be concern for educating girls (Malala), eradicating the guinea worm (Carter Center), enhancing the lives of at-risk children (Edelman), empowering employees (Google) or energizing a moribund baseball team…
Called or not?
By Molly T. Marshall I had a very interesting conversation yesterday with a successful cancer doctor who is thinking about taking early retirement and pursuing a degree in religious studies. He reflected on how much pain and suffering he had…
Fledglings take flight
By Molly T. Marshall I have recently learned that there are eagle voyeurs in our midst. Normal people otherwise, they are absolutely fanatics when it comes to following the progress of these raptors. Through the wonders of “eagle cams,” which…
A new church is coming (part 2)
By Molly T. Marshall In my last column I described the coming church as browner and poorer, more sensuous and feminine, less clerical and more collegial/inclusive, more attentive to the need for structural change than quick palliation, and more multilingual…
A new church is coming
By Molly T. Marshall I regularly read the Abbey Banner, which is the publication of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. I spent a fruitful sabbatical there in 2000, and this Benedictine community remains of interest to me because of…
Is love a mandate or an emotion?
By Molly T. Marshall I have often wondered why Peter was so resistant to Jesus’ offer of washing his feet. Lord knows they needed it! The grit would cling to his feet after a day of walking in dust. When…
Seminaries and graduates and churches, oh my!
By Molly Marshall Seminaries are in the news these days as the church continues to shift in social location in our communities. Theological education, in my judgment, can be a source of renewal for congregational life, and it may be…
‘Christ has no body but yours’
By Molly T. Marshall Contrary to the many who speak about the church dying, I think it is actually a time of rebirth. We are actually in the process of tossing out some old stuff that wasn’t necessary and finding…
Religion’s week from hell
By Molly T. Marshall This past Monday, CNN religion writer Daniel Burke called the prior week “Religion’s week from hell”: “Whether you believe that religious violence is fueled by faith or is a symptom of larger factors — political instability,…
Come ye sinners
By Molly T. Marshall Word came last evening of the gruesome death of a Jordanian pilot. Evidently he was burned alive, confined in a cage. This is the latest in a series of brutal executions, which call attention to the…