“The Bible says, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind!”
My 13-year-old friend spoke with righteous vehemence. She was angry: angry that a God who is supposed to love justice would give such an outrageously unjust rule. Angry that this is the character of the God she is continually being told she ought to give her life to. “How dare he?” her eyes seemed to say. And even, “How dare you?”
She had been thinking about this for a while, and getting angry about it. And she had been doing so all on her own.... continue reading
Just how much care went into the artwork featured in The Kingdom and the King Storybook Bible?
Illustrator Catalina Echeverri is dedicated to grounding her designs in rich theology, biblical truth, and as much historical accuracy as possible. Every detail of her illustrations is carefully considered—from facial expressions and skin tones to objects and symbolism.
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A pastor interrupted me during a seminar with a simple yet profound question: What even is the point of sports? Why do you care about it so much?
If you turn to most systematic theologies or books on cultural engagement, you might be left with the same question. Music, drama and literature are frequently acknowledged as legitimate areas of Christian reflection, but sports is often overlooked.... continue reading
They laughed behind cupped hands, grade-school whispers assessing her dress. Look! It’s as big as a tent! Peter’s face reddened as he accepted his forgotten lunch bag from his mother’s strong hand. Her face glowed, Scandinavian accent thick as she spoke love over her son in broken English. I dangled upside down from the playground bars, observing this heavyset woman adorned in a shapeless house dress swishing past her ankles.
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One area that seems to be particularly in the crosshairs of progressive governments is schooling. The moral formation of the secular education system is designed to produce model citizens who will help us move towards a more just and equitable society. So far, so good. That’s what a Christian education system desires also. Yet their methods are at odds with each other. Christianity’s doctrine of human flourishing is now regarded as part of society’s problem, not part of its solution.... continue reading
It’s unfortunately common to hear that church is one of the hardest places to be in the midst of hardship. Maybe you have limped into church, weighed down by things like sadness, fear, or disappointment. Yet the place you hoped to find healing and refuge left you feeling hurt and alone. As the body of Christ joined together in praise, you felt dislocated in your pain.... continue reading
The moment we honestly consider that there is a day on the calendar that will indeed be our last day, suddenly 80 years of life—4,200 Sundays—feels very, very short. The Scriptures that teach us that God has numbered our days (e.g. Psalm 139:16) exhort us to do likewise.... continue reading
When it comes to thinking about the environment, there are a few ways Christians tend to respond.... continue reading
Every human pregnancy involves a mother and a father. A man and a woman contribute to conception. In most cases, a mother wants the father to take an active interest in the pregnancy and preparation for the baby's birth. Likewise, she often wants him to be a reassuring presence during labor and delivery—and an active partner in parenting. Naturally, she will want him to share the grief that miscarriage brings. Nevertheless, the father's experience with miscarriage often goes unaddressed in the contemporary church.
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Goldfish see what’s in the water, they see what’s refracted through the water, but I assume (I haven’t done the proper investigations) that goldfish don’t see the water itself. And yet there it is. It’s their environment. Universal but invisible. It shapes everything they do and everything they see. But they don’t see it.... continue reading
