The elder pulled him aside after the worship service. “Can I give you some advice, Pastor?” he asked. “Keep politics out of the pulpit. You’re called to be our shepherd, to care for the flock. Just preach the Bible, be…

But to what will I compare this generation? (Matthew 11:16) I mistrust the lazy piety of unexamined biblical narratives and “Hallmark” religious poetry. A loaded sentence, I know. I’ll just say I come by those sensibilities honestly, by nature and…

In honor of the Fourth of July, I thought it appropriate to delve into the question of Christian nationalism and its role in America. There are a bunch of great books out on the topic this year. I recently finished…

Lately, it seems everything from masks to hugs has become a political statement. With the fourth of July upon us, patriotism and remembering those who fought for our freedom have become the new tug of war. What strikes me about…

My aunt tried to cross the border last week. She’s a Canadian living in Germany with a daughter living in Michigan. She flew to Canada, quarantined at my parent’s house for two weeks, and then drove to the border, believing…

“Child,” said the Lion, “I am telling you your story, not hers. No-one is told any story but their own.” -Aslan, in C.S. Lewis’s The Horse and His Boy I’m in the middle of packing up our life in Philadelphia.…

Comedian Jon Stewart, original host of the Comedy Central program The Daily Show, may or may not have very many religious sensibilities.  Stewart is capable of some amazing comedy in the skewering of the day’s news—one thinks of the delicious…

Americans love a tragedy and redemption story. To use religious language, many of us might call this narratives of transgression and sanctification. But what is the proper amount of both and should it be thoughtfully calibrated to connect with a…

Hay Creek RanchNemo, South Dakota For all my apprehension and anxiety about this trip, my week in South Dakota has been an experience beyond words. We have one day of riding left, and I have just a few notes and…