Essay Lies We Tell Young PeopleIt's a modern day Cinderella trope, isn’t it? The long-suffering, virtuous-and-talented high schooler is visited by a talent agent/scout/special teacher/fairy…Debra RienstraApril 30, 2022
Essay Jesus the GardenerBiblical interpreters from ancient times knew a rich metaphor when they saw one, and they were not about to pass…Debra RienstraApril 16, 2022
Essay Overheard at AngelPAC: Conference of the Angels of the ChurchesIn a vast, blazingly bright atrium, crowds of church angels mill about, carrying tote bags emblazoned with the AngelPAC logo.…Debra RienstraApril 2, 2022
Essay The Longing God: A Meditation on Isaiah 55The most amazing thing about this passage, at least to me, is the evident fact that God is longing, too.Debra RienstraMarch 19, 2022
Essay Unanswered PrayersAnd so we pray. Or try to. Our prayers—well, mine anyway—seem awfully puny against the grand machinations of world events.…Debra RienstraMarch 5, 2022
Essay Is Congregational Worship an Endangered Species?My faith these days sometimes feels as thin and dry as that little wafer. So the presence of these familiar,…Debra RienstraFebruary 5, 2022
Essay The Tragedy of Macbeth: Art Without TragedyI found Joel Cohen’s new film version of Macbeth ultimately disappointing. As a film, it’s a skilled, maybe even exquisite…Debra RienstraJanuary 22, 2022
Essay Epiphany at the World’s Many EndsThis week, I’ve been accidentally observing Epiphany season by following a strict regimen of anxiety-producing activities. This was not my…Debra RienstraJanuary 8, 2022
Essay Glory to God in the LowestThe birth of the child is the focal point of God’s communion with the whole of creation. This is the…Debra RienstraDecember 25, 2021
Essay The Birdy Spirit: Mark Wallace’s When God Was a BirdMark Wallace, Swarthmore professor of religion and environmental studies, takes this scriptural moment as much more than an exercise in…Debra RienstraDecember 11, 2021