In a California meeting, Compelling Preaching Initiative participants enjoyed how-to sessions on the content, crafting and delivery of sermons as well as one-on-one coaching and fellowship with other men — and women — of God.
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(OPINION) Marty died on Feb. 25 at the age of 97, a quarter of a century after retiring from teaching at the University of Chicago Divinity School. The research center he launched in 1979 was then rebranded as the Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion. He received numerous other awards, including more than 80 honorary degrees.
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(OPINION) Suffering indeed is our common language. Regardless of your age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, politics or marital status, every person reading this column has suffered. If somehow you haven’t yet, you will. This may be the greatest impediment to believing in a loving, all-powerful God.
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Some of the nation’s top religion writers offer insights on what they found surprising — and not surprising — in the Pew Research Center’s massive Religious Landscape Study.
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(OPINION) For several years now, it’s felt like the whole world has gone mad. Trying to keep track of, much less digest, the daily flood of outrageous news stories and hair-on-fire op-ed pieces curdles my mind, steals my joy and leaves me staring gape-mouthed into a tsunami of chaos. But I happened across two articles that helped me rethink my news avoidance.
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At the five-year anniversary of COVID-19, our columnist reflects on his brother-in-law’s near-death battle with the contagious virus.
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(OPINION) The Buddha didn’t suggest that monks and nuns become society’s moral police, dictating correct behavior and enforcing his rules. Rather, by living simply within his guidelines and refraining from harm, monastic communities can exemplify ethical living. By deliberately cultivating equanimity, love, compassion and empathic joy, they could inspire others to do the same.
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Our columnist witnesses a whole lot of despair, but he always looks for a measure of hope. He explains why — and how — as he reports from the scene of Southern California’s deadly wildfires.
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(OPINION) It might be surprising to hear that clergy are among the happiest and most fulfilled employees. Being a minister isn’t an easy job, for sure. Some preachers get burned out. I’ve been burned out at times myself. But dig a bit deeper into the data and these high-satisfaction numbers aren’t so surprising.
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(OPINION) It’s gratifying to see new government policies which align with God’s creational order, yet this is not the end of our witness on this issue. Our churches should both be eager to declare what is good and true and beautiful about biblical masculinity and femininity and read to help those who struggle with gender dysphoria find hope in the Gospel and the resurrection of the body at the end of the age.
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For the most fervent of the football faithful, the Super Bowl — which last year drew a record 123.7 million U.S. viewers — brings rituals and traditions with a quasi-religious feel. But at least one Christian scholar has concerns.
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(OPINION) I still believe almost 50 years later that my father was divinely healed. I was there. I saw it. But I also believe that what happened to him was a once-in-a-thousand-prayers miracle. A miracle of biblical proportions. It was not the norm.
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(OPINION) Vandalism won’t stop us from serving great food — and, with it, joy, connection and unity.
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Hoss Ridgeway mixes preaching and stand-up comedy. The Indiana minister says he knows when it’s appropriate to be funny — and when the situation calls for a serious approach.
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(OPINION) Churches, temples and other religious organizations often employ experienced, highly skilled people — talented employees who could otherwise find work in the private sector but are called to service by their faith and belief in their community’s mission and values. These employees will often compromise on salary to do meaningful work, but they do expect adequate benefits and health care. For church leaders — often under pressure to keep a close eye on expenses — finding and paying for health care can be the most stressful part of the job.
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(OPINION) This past summer, still in her 50s, Vickie fell ill with what turned out to be advanced ovarian cancer. Surgery didn’t help. Chemo didn’t help. The cancer just kept coming. That’s when truly remarkable things started happening.
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President Donald Trump’s latest inaugural speech was notable not for its inclusion of God but for the specific personal nature of what he said.
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(OPINION) I have one bit of advice for all those people fuming over Elon Musk’s hand gestures: Stop. I know it’s tough to resist the temptation to go into full outrage mode over the apparent Nazi gesture Musk made during an Inauguration Day speech at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena. A lot of energy has gone into parsing Musk’s gesture, and attacking those who don’t see it your way.
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(OPINION) Some of historian Tom Holland’s insights are surprising, including his contention that modern developments — including the transgender rights movement and a recent spike in atheism — probably wouldn’t exist were it not for the West’s Christian philosophical and moral foundations.
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Our recent column on whether all dogs go to heaven generated some precious responses and a few emails that reminded us why dogs — and not some grumpy humans — are considered man’s best friend.
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