Dig Out of the Email Crush

It’s Monday. Are you getting crushed by your email? Jenna Wortham offered some tips for digging out and staying out at the NY Times, including features and services that can help you. It’s worth a quick read, if only to trigger some possibilities, and for this reminder: WHEN IN DOUBT, GET OUT One kindly reader wrote to [...]

Resources for Graduating College Students About to Enter the Workforce

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In the next couple of months, thousands of Christians will be graduating from college. Some will go on to grad school. But the majority of grads will commence a life of work. Or, at least they’ll start looking for a job, not to mention a career The High Calling is offering several valuable resources for [...]

When Jonathan Winters Made My Breakfast

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The recent death of comedian Jonathan Winters reminded me of a very curious and humorous experience from days gone by. It was the time Jonathan Winters made my breakfast . . . well, almost. It happened about 25 years ago, when I was working as an associate pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. [...]

Friendship Through Art Collecting

My friend Christy Tennant Krispin is one of the most intentional people I know — in the sense that she does many things in her life with a great deal of intentionality and thoughtfulness. One of those things is collecting art. She recently held a show in Seattle, where she now lives with her husband, [...]

The Long View

Hello, everyone! I’m delighted to be contributing here, and grateful to Mark for asking me to come on board (you can read more in his introductory post earlier this week). I don’t plan to link to things I write all that much, but I’ve got a piece over at The High Calling today, about my foray [...]

Must Read on the Subject of Depression from a Wise, Christian Perspective

Dr. Dan Blazer speaking at Laity Lodge

In light of the tragic death of Matthew Warren, son of Rick and Kay Warren, Christians are talking about depression as never before. This is a crucial conversation, one for which we need ample wisdom. Such wisdom is available from Christianity Today, whose recent cover story focuses on “The Depression Epidemic.” The writer of this [...]

Christian Faith at Harvard

Emerson Hall of Harvard University. The inscription of the wall is from Psalm 8: “What is man that thou are mindful of him?”

I just read a fascinating article about Christian faith at Harvard, and I commend it to you. Here’s a teaser: There are countless tales of students whose faith slips away during their time at college. The ones who ignore questions from mom about going to church on Sundays, or take a philosophy class that destabilizes [...]

Introducing Alissa Wilkinson

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Today, I’m pleased to introduce to you Alissa Wilkinson, who will be working with me as a writer and editor for this blog. Many of you will already be acquainted with Alissa through her writing. I first became aware of her when I saw her name popping up here and there as the author of [...]

Happy Easter!?!?

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one [...]

Easter in Light of Lent: From Dust to Dust, From Death to Life

1 Corinthians 15:45-57 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 A month and a half ago, the season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday. Then, we were [...]

The Seven Last Words of Christ – The Seventh Word

The Seventh Word: “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46) Copyright © 2007, Linda E. S. Roberts. For permission to use this picture, please contact Mark. Reflection Two of the last seven “words” of Jesus were quotations from the Psalms. Earlier, Jesus had quoted Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have [...]

The Seven Last Words of Christ – The Sixth Word

The Sixth Word: “It is finished!” (John 19:30) Another station from The Stations of the Cross at Serra Retreat Center, Malibu, California. Photo by Mark D. Roberts Reflection I never saw a more difficult film to watch than Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. For most of that movie I wanted to avert my [...]

The Seven Last Words of Christ – The Fifth Word

The Fifth Word: “I am thirsty.” (John 19:28) A painting of the Cruxifixion, from a church in Taormina, Italy. Photo by Mark Roberts No doubt Jesus experienced extreme thirst while being crucified. He would have lost a substantial quantity of bodily fluid, both blood and sweat, through what he had endured even prior to crucifixion. [...]

The Seven Last Words of Christ – The Fourth Word

The Fourth Word: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34) The Eleventh Station of the The Stations of the Cross at Serra Retreat Center, Malibu, California. Photo by Mark Roberts Reflection As Jesus was dying on the cross, he echoed the beginning of Psalm 22, which reads: My God, my God, [...]

The Seven Last Words of Christ – The Third Word

The Third Word: “Dear woman, here is your son.” (John 19:26) Copyright © 2007, Linda E. S. Roberts. For permission to use this picture, please contact Mark. As Jesus was dying, his mother was among those who had remained with him. Most of the male disciples had fled, with the exception of one whom the [...]

The Seven Last Words of Christ – The Second Word

The Second Word: “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Copyright © 2007, Linda E. S. Roberts. For permission to use this picture, please contact Mark. Reflection As Jesus hung on the cross, he was mocked by the political and religious leaders, as well as by the soldiers who [...]