When someone makes the mistake of asking what I do for a living, I typically describe myself as a historical theologian with a focus on the early church. This is normally enough to run someone off! But in the few instances where they probe further, I specify that I study ‘patristic theology’—that is, I study God in the thought of those from the first several centuries of the church. The term “patristic” is derived from the Greek and Latin terms... Read more
On the morning of July 2nd, I scanned my wardrobe for something red or white or blue. My husband and I had agreed, the night before, we would take our girls to church without fail. Our daughters, nine and eleven, both want to attend church. For a year and a half now, we’ve been going to a little church plant that my childhood friend started. But we feel a new season upon us; we’re in the “market” for a new... Read more
St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places and named a Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1985 On June 25, 2023, on a blazing hot day in Phoenix, Arizona, my husband, children, and I sat in smooth, wooden pews attending Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s Basilica, where I had proudly delivered my high school valedictorian speech in 1996. Nearly a decade earlier, on September 14, 1987, I had waited anxiously... Read more
This post has two related themes. It is about how the media systematically misunderstand and misreport religion, especially Christianity. It also concerns one of the most troubled and troubling verses in the New Testament. By way of background, Jim Caviezel is a talented actor whose best-known role was as Jesus in Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. Caviezel has espoused conspiracy theories related to QAnon, including charges about children being abducted, tortured, and killed by sinister elites.... Read more
On Sunday, July 2, 2023, we attended service for the last time in our beloved local church of seven years. There is nothing wrong with the church. It is thriving; reaching people in the community; loving members old and new, young and old; sending out missionaries near and far; and preaching the gospel faithfully and beautifully every Sunday. Its care for children and families, in my view, has been an example other churches should follow, as I wrote here just... Read more
Tumultuous times of transition in the academic, evangelical, political, and social spheres have brought evangelical historians to an interesting midpoint of the summer. These conditions potentially foster fears that plausibly lead to the opportunity of faith. This past spring, a number of colleges and universities announced their closing, notable from the Christian sector included the announcement from King’s College in Manhattan. Then more news of transitions came from Manhattan in May, with the passing of Timothy Keller, heir of the... Read more
There’s an old saying that political battles in the United States are first fought in her schools. And while fewer major national conflicts are centered around nuclear families, it is indeed children who are the ultimate test of the boundaries of state power and liberal democracy. Liberalism presumes autonomous individuals and their rights. But where do the rights of children stand in this matrix? Are they individuals or are they required to be parts of communities and family units who... Read more
I recently posted about the critical importance of the Caribbean dimension in American history. The same observation holds true about present day realities, but issues of labeling mean we tend not to see it. But without that Caribbean dimension, we miss a huge amount about contemporary American life, including its urban, social, and political history. The religious angle is unavoidable. Bear with me as I try to find and define the Caribbean. It is an important question, and the answer... Read more
This is now the first question that I ask whenever I enter into a conversation about race. I also always joke that I hope that I find myself among a sympathetic audience that thinks that something is wrong with racism. Having been given that assurance, I encourage the room to throw out one of racism’s manifold evils: “It’s unfair!” “It leads to and comes from hate!” “It breaks apart our unity!” “It leads to violence!” “The category of race is... Read more
For those of us who are American, today is the Fourth of July: a day for fireworks, family, and celebrating (or reckoning with) the history of the United States of America. I have to admit, as a scholar of medieval history, I was tempted to ask a scholar of American history to write today’s post! Many scholars would say that nationalism as we think of it today didn’t exist during the Middle Ages. But after some thought, I wonder if... Read more
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