I ran out of time this week for crafting an acceptable blogpost, so instead I thought I’d point your attention to a few things that I think are worth reading this week:   You can subscribe to a 5-part devotional…

You have probably seen the famous photo of a high school-aged Bill Clinton meeting President John F. Kennedy (I've included it, in case you haven't). In the photo, you'll see that Clinton (and the boys around him) are wearing polo…

Jesus is an apocalyptic figure. Christianity is an apocalyptic religion. Advent is an apocalyptic season. This is very hard. Apocalyptic means revealing, disclosure, unveiling. What has been hidden is brought to light. A great reversal is coming—swiftly, shockingly, out of…

Around the corner from the church I serve in downtown Philadelphia sits City Hall. Its stately Second-Empire architecture looms over Penn Square, set at the very center of the city. Several years ago, I watched a predictable culture war play out…

One of my favorite things about the last two years has been a new tradition started with my best friend from back home in Iowa--our weekly long-distance book club. I don’t even remember whose idea it was but at some…

I have a lot of friends who work for nonprofits. This meant that Tuesday was a day to brace for. Especially on Facebook, Giving Tuesday has given me something of the same feeling I got when I walked through the…

Rebecca Koerselman’s post earlier this week about the “Competing Narratives” of American history struck a nerve with me. For decades I’ve been giving presentations for community groups and church adult-education programs on the question: “Was America Founded as a Christian…

Another chair story for you...don't think Steve and I expected to have a theme. But the Spirit moves, so.... Yesterday, I lugged a chair from my sunroom into the car, drove to work, and then put the chair into the…

In August of 2017, I cycled a six day leg of the Sea to Sea – a coast to coast ride, raising awareness and money to fight poverty, locally and globally. On the second to last day of our ride,…