The sociologist Peter Berger once said the power of religion rests, ultimately, upon the credibility of the banners it puts in our hands as we walk toward death. A recent brush with death awakened me to the surprising fact that,…
No, Mr. Trump, America is not going to hell
After Donald Trump’s conviction in his Manhattan trial, he said, “Our whole country is being rigged” and “has gone to hell.” Then he added, “We’re a nation in decline, serious decline. Millions and millions of people, pouring into our country…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Brian McLaren
Brian McLaren has been one of the most important voices in American Christianity for a quarter-century, and his new book, After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart, is a hard and beautiful and necessary book about how…
The last word is hope
One of the most important things I learned over four decades of ministry is that hope saves people’s lives. Hope saves them spiritually, emotionally, relationally and sometimes even physically. People hope for many things. They hope for forgiveness, reconciliation, healing….
Hopeful positivity, the most powerful countercultural revolution a person can wage
During the pandemic, actor John Krasinski created a YouTube series titled “Some Good News.” From his living room, the actor famous for his role on The Office shared uplifting stories showcasing humanity’s good side. Unfortunately, once life got back to…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Russell Moore
Russell Moore is editor in chief of Christianity Today, the flagship publication for American evangelicals, and author of the book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America. But I’m sure many of you remember him as the former…
Reading Christmas through the lens of Advent’s anguish
“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” —French philosopher Henri Bergson For several years running, my sister and I played a little game to ease the boredom of our family’s four-and-a-half hour drive from West…
The messiness of Christmas
Often, Christmas is a time of making sure everything is just right. We sing of joy coming to the world, we read poetry of how stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and we mail Christmas cards imprinted with…
A thrill of hope? Reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas with my sister
When my sister, Olivia, graduated from college in 2018, the former mayor of our hometown was the commencement speaker. As she sat in her graduation robe, bobby pins stuck in her hair to keep her graduation hat from falling off,…