In recent days, Marc Chagall's WWII-era painting of a "Ukrainian Family" has been circulating on social media. Chris explains why it matters that it actually shows a Jewish family, and why Chagall often used Christian iconography to respond to the Shoah. Read more
During Holy Week, it’s tempting to think about the way, or rather, the Way. That particular word appears often in the gospels, but the dilemmas of translation make it hard to see that – or shall we say, even to find the way. Let me explain. For some years now, I have found it hard to read the New Testament in English alone. Now, don’t think I’m showing off there. My Greek is no better than OK (although it is... Read more
Husezo Rhakho is a doctoral student in the Religion Department at Baylor University. He holds a BA in History from Patkai Christian College, an MDiv from Kohima Bible College in Nagaland, India, and a ThM in Christian Thought (World Missions/Global Christianity), from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He studies World Christianity and History of Christian Mission, particularly in Asia. His research centers on the trends and growth of Christianity in the global south from an insider’s perspective. He comes from Nagaland, in... Read more
As empires spread around the world, they carry with them ideas and institutions, and terminology, usually with no intent of doing so. From the nature of imperial rule, military forces are a great vehicle for such themes, or memes, if you like. Witness how bagpipes survive and flourish in a great many armies across Africa and Asia, pretty much wherever the British army of old made its presence felt (and heard, loudly). Last time I discussed how the Turkish idea... Read more
Reflections on a book of peace written by a violent man Read more
Why go to college? How do you find a good fit? Is the cost worth it? And what will college mean for my faith? Chris introduces a new podcast dedicated to helping Christian families ask better questions about higher education. Read more
Will the culture war flashpoints that are fragmenting American evangelicalism divide evangelical higher education as well? This question was on my mind in the days leading up to the 2022 Conference on Faith and History that met at Baylor University last week, and now that I have returned from the conference, the question continues to concern me. Two plenary keynotes at the CFH (one from Kristin Du Mez and the other from Jemar Tisby) encouraged Christian historians to embrace activism... Read more
Over 20 million Americans chose to quit their jobs since September 2021. The forces behind “the Great Resignation” are complex, and the reasons why workers have called it quits vary widely. According to the Pew Research Center, the primary reasons are very practical in nature, such as too many (or too few) work hours and lack of flexible scheduling. But the explanation of “burnout” has received special attention, perhaps because two years into a global pandemic, everybody appears to... Read more
I love spending time in the American southwest. Many years ago, I was talking with a New Mexico historian who introduced me to the concept of the Genízaros, people of mixed Native American heritage who followed aspects of the Hispanic lifestyle. (More on exactly who they were below). But at the time, I had one simple question: why are we talking Turkish? Empires play a critical role in spreading ideas across vast swathes of territory. Imperial servants or officials might... Read more
Today’s guest post is by Christina J. Lambert. She is a doctoral student in English literature at Baylor University, studying the poetry and fiction of literary modernism. Her writing gives attention to questions of embodiment—discussing the ecological imagination, feminism, and sacramental theology within literature. Her writing has been published in Christianity & Literature, and she has forthcoming publications in Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature and Modern Fiction Studies. In a season where we are met with story after story uncovering... Read more
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