Since the dawn of aviation, certain pilots have turned to poetry to express the inexpressible aspects of flight. Chris introduces us to two: both the children of pastors, and one a pastor himself. Read more
Since the dawn of aviation, certain pilots have turned to poetry to express the inexpressible aspects of flight. Chris introduces us to two: both the children of pastors, and one a pastor himself. Read more
Through authors like C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, fantasy literature has not only reached a mass audience, but it is widely recognized as a vehicle for addressing critical issues of culture, and of religious debate. But besides those celebrities, plenty of other authors deserve our attention. One long standing favorite of mine is the Scottish author Neil M. Gunn (1891-1973), who is all but unknown in the US although, as we might say, he was world famous... Read more
Over the weekend, Twitter has hosted a debate about the resurrection — a belief that many evangelicals affirm... and then deny by the way they live. Read more
In my teenage years, I used to loathe “Back to School” signs in stores. I know it’s going to happen, like I know we all have to die someday, but do you have to remind us? Anyway, by late August, that fact has become an undeniable reality (back to school, I mean, not death) and we have to cope by turning our minds back to the process of education. In this instance, I am offering something that I believe to... Read more
John Fea, in what has become a must-read age-of-Trump blog about American religion, quotes from C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters in a recent post: Let him begin by treating the Patriotism or the Pacifism as a part of his religion. Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the most important part. Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at which the religion becomes merely part of the “cause”, in which Christianity... Read more
Franklin Graham, Eric Metaxas, and other court evangelicals remind us of the apocalyptic side of Billy Graham. Read more
What does the past smell like? Chris shares a couple of historically evocative aromas from his research and teaching experiences. Read more
I am currently preparing an edited book manuscript for publication with the working title of The Idea of Tradition in the Late Modern World: An Ecumenical and Interreligious Conversation. It was based on a conference that I helped host at Valparaiso University to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Christ College, the University’s humanities-based honors college. Conference speakers (and book contributors) include David Bentley Hart (Eastern Orhodox), James L. Heft (Roman Catholic), Ebrahim Moosa (Muslim), David Novak (Jewish), and Sarah Hinlicky... Read more
You may not spend time worrying about the state of golf and the shrinking membership of your local country club, but you should, if you care anything about the fate of your churches or religious congregations. I’ll explain that cryptic remark. Kelsey Lawrence has a thoughtful piece on CityLab on the question of Why Won’t Millennials Join Country Clubs? (CityLab is by the way a regular source for good writing). Among other things, she remarks on the really steep decline... Read more
In Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, a wealthy family in Singapore considers a real estate deal that is so financially lucrative, it almost seems divinely ordained. A developer is offering to purchase the family’s property for $3.3 billion in order to build “Zion Estates,” described as “A LUXURY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.” A brochure offers details about the vision for the project: Imagine an exclusive gated community for high-net-worth families who share in the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Ninety-nine splendid... Read more
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