It is high time we ceased calling nationalism “Christian.” There is nothing Christian about American nationalism. Christians, especially, should lead the way. The origin of the name “Christian” is recorded in Acts 11:26: “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” A…
What Allie Beth Stuckey gets wrong about the Bible and diversity
If you spent any time on X (formerly Twitter) the last week, you probably saw the clip from Allie Beth Stuckey’s podcast — you know, the one where she questions the value of ethnic diversity. “Yes, the kingdom of God…
N.T. Wright: Ephesians is blueprint for multiethnic church
Renowned biblical scholar N.T. Wright believes Ephesians is a book for this moment. To show that, he has written a new book on Ephesians, arguing the letter offers a radical vision for church unity that Western Christianity largely has missed….
The early church would be shocked we’ve stopped feeding the hungry
Churches get reputations. Some churches are known for their sense of community. Congregations that focus on friendship are fun — lots of parties, traditions and food. People in these churches tend to weigh more. We gain weight at potluck dinners….
When history doesn’t rhyme: A look at the conservative-liberal spectrum
Modern Christianity is mindbogglingly diverse: 45,000 denominations, by one recent estimate. Christian history teaches us this is not new. From the beginning, Christians understood Jesus differently. In the United States of 2025, though, this diversity is on the wane —…
The early heretics
I vividly remember the first time someone accused me of being a heretic. It occurred in a dorm room during my sophomore year of college. A fellow ministerial student and I were engaged in a spirited debate about biblical inspiration….
Withholding the water
In America 2025, DEI programs are in trouble. Remember Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? CNN recently interviewed seven “DEI experts and industry leaders” who gave these definitions: Diversity is embracing the differences everyone brings to the table, whether those are someone’s…
The Mosaic Church is beautiful but feels like an Israeli tourism ad
One of the fascinating things about ancient cities is how easy it can be to dig into the ground without knowing what you will find. This is true in cities like Rome, where construction workers discovering archeological sites regularly halt…
‘Ancient Christianities’: A Look At The Church’s Evolution Over Its First 500 Years
Christianity’s evolution, we are told in this densely packed, deeply analytical history of the faith’s early centuries, “involves a large cast of characters.” They included “not only theologians, bishops, and emperors, but also gods and demons, angels and magicians, astrologers…
What will people say about American Christianity in 200 years?
A few weeks ago, I attended my niece’s wedding. While my wife and I waited for the service to begin, I found myself in a conversation with the young minister who was conducting the wedding ceremony. Although he had attended…
From empire to freedom: The hope of our faith
Facing the reality of governmental oppression, as a form of imperial reaction and suppression to the revolutionary movement of the church, early Christians anticipated unavoidable suffering. Living within an autocracy, anyone or any movement that stood in contradiction to this…
Eastertide: The outing of the church
We have entered Eastertide, the liturgical season beginning with Easter and ending 50 days later on Pentecost (also known as Whitsunday). The formulation of this season parallels the period in Judaism between the first day of Pesach (Passover, marking their…