Anna Rollins is the author of the painful and powerful new memoir Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. The book illuminates the unholy alliance between diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which teach…
Is this really the second-most-important book of the year?
I am puzzled that Christianity Today selected The Body God Gives: A Biblical Response to Transgender Theory, by Robert S. Smith, as the second most important book of 2025. Surely we have more serious concerns than another evangelical attack on…
A practical guide for nurturing youth mental health
Stories of poor mental health among children and teenagers are sadly prevalent today, including young people going through depression, anxiety and even death by suicide. Mental health challenges occur on a continuum, so it is important to be aware of developing…
‘Why didn’t God do anything to prevent this?’
Several years ago, a group of Christians decided to throw their collective weight behind a candidate for national office. They were concerned about the moral decay and chaos that threatened their nation in the wake of an inconclusive war. They…
Our tax system should benefit kids and families
Last week, it was reported that corporations will reap $16 billion in new, retroactive tax breaks this year under just one provision of the Trump-GOP tax law enacted in July. This provision of HR-1, otherwise known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill…
Southern Baptist leaders’ duplicity betrays abuse survivors
Newly released court documents depict an image of Southern Baptist leaders’ duplicity in dealing with clergy sex abuse. The documents derive from the defamation lawsuit brought by former seminary professor David Sills, and that lawsuit stems from the sexual abuse…
Oh fudge, I said the B-word
Pulling the Lifebuoy soap from young Ralphie’s mouth, his mother interrogates, “Where did you hear that word?” In this wonderful scene from the classic movie A Christmas Story, a voiceover of Ralphie reports he had heard the vulgarity several times…
Homan defies Scripture and church in defense of immigration policy
“The Catholic Church is wrong” stated Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s ICE man. Homan and other MAGA elites were triggered by a statement released by America’s Catholic bishops. Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer screeched, “It’s sad to see the Catholic Church…
It’s always darkest before it goes pitch black; choose hope anyway
If you have someone on your Christmas list who seems too hopeful — who still uses a paper calendar — you might consider a demotivational calendar. On one such 2026 calendar — and you can Google a disappointing number of…
Upside Down Advent: Anxiety versus peace
I had the good fortune to spend three hours in the car with my son Garrett Saturday. He’s our avant garde jazz saxophonist and composer/arranger. He told me about a Substack he’s reading that’s written by a well-known figure in…
‘Are you hungry?’
In a day when the president of the United States cancels the commemoration of Dec. 1 as World AIDS Day — while his DOGE canceling of USAID has led to many more AIDS deaths in Africa — and we see…
Advent mnemonics
I don’t remember when I picked up this handy mental trick. Sixth grade, maybe seventh? My first recollection of using it came during a world geography class. The teacher asked us to memorize the names of European countries’ capitals, many…