There are some”heroes” of the Christian faith whose life-stories inspire and inform me. They include William Wilberforce, William Carey, and (just to avoid all my heroes having the same first name) St. Patrick. Now, let’s remember: “Saint” wasn’t his first…
Patrick!
President Johnson’s scintillating Selma speech
Fifty years ago this month, the small city of Selma, Alabama, was much in the news. And now Selma is in the news again, partly because it is the 50 th anniversary of what happened in 1965 but also because…
Before I go: A Stanford neurosurgeon’s parting wisdom about life and time
In residency, there’s a saying: The days are long, but the years are short. In neurosurgical training, the day usually began a little before 6 a.m., and lasted until the operating was done, which depended, in part, on how quick…
My kid doesn’t ‘get’ anything out of church
One common concern I often hear from parents and other adult church members about including children in the corporate worship setting is that kids won’t “get” anything out of the worship or the sermon. From an adult perspective, there are…
Exodus, exile and truly human resurrection: Living beyond tribalism and individualism
The beauty of the Bible has as much to do with what it tells us about human nature as it does to do with what it tells us about God. Indeed, the story of salvation only makes sense when we…
In memory of Marcus Borg
The New York Times to Borg as “a leading evangelist of what is often called progressive Christianity.” His interpretation of the Christian faith convinced many people to remain a Christian. Similarly, the author of an in The Christian Century avers…
The No. 1 reason teens keep the faith as young adults
The holy grail for helping youth remain religiously active as young adults has been at home all along: parents. Mothers and fathers who practice what they preach and preach what they practice are far and away the major influence related…
How astronauts helped me to see life differently
The experience of traveling in space is life-changing. For all of the reasons that immediately come to mind – the years preparation, the level of commitment required, the danger and fear that must be overcome, the isolation and extreme conditions…