I am a theology nerd. I love to hear people talk about God, what they believe about God and why they believe it.  Yesterday I was excited to learn that this blog had made it onto the list of top Christian blogs (even though they spelled my name wrong, this was still very exciting).  I thought this was a great resource for people to use to find new and exciting places to talk about theology… It made me think, is... Read more

I am often asked for recommendations on Bible commentaries. Most often people want to have a resource to help them dig into the scriptures deeply, with an eye toward tradition and scholarship, and with a presentation that is accessible for those without a graduate degree in the Biblical Studies. The one I almost always recommend is the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. It’s a delight to read and those I have recommended it too have found it to be exactly what... Read more

  One of the main reasons I love to study liturgy is it equips me to do theology in the first person plural. Liturgy is a communal Theologica Prima. It is an ecclesial encounter of the I and Thou relationship of God and humanity. It is an expression of life with God that cascades across the communion of saints through every age. I love it. This is why I always find it interesting that so many people find what I... Read more

The Mass of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, far and away, is the most celebrated Christian worship service in the world today. There is much to recommend it! It has some of the deepest roots of any liturgy, it contains the beauty, simplicity and balance of the Roman imagination, and with the reforms of Vatican II it has also allowed for the wisdom and theology of other ancient liturgical traditions to impact its life and enrich its worship.... Read more

The life of the Christian church is weaved from a rich tapestry of threads.  Some threads were added by singular brilliant minds that were able to see beyond what was offered to them and were empowered to craft something new. Other threads were forged in councils of leaders who gathered to confront the challenges of their time and to fortify the ground upon which they stood so that the life of the faith might be preserved. A third, less exalted,... Read more

  As you probably are aware, last week President Obama met with Pope Francis. Here are a few of my reflections on the event. This post was originally published at Bread for the World. For President Obama, leader of the one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church, to come together to discuss the need to address poverty and income inequality is historic. But what exactly does last Thursday’s meeting at the Vatican mean for hungry... Read more

Last month I read through Young Catholic America. It’s a new study that looks at the faith lives of young emerging adults in the United States. Overall it’s a fascinating work, which I think everyone that has a vested interest in the Church should read. It looks at the exodus of young people from the Catholic Church and identifies the sorts of things that contribute to why people stay, what sorts of situations make it likely young people will leave, and the kinds of situation in... Read more

The US bishops are offering a #Bordermass today for the 6,000 migrants who have died in the U.S. desert since 1998. From USCCB: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration, joined by bishops on the border, will travel to Nogales, Arizona, March 30-April 1, 2014, to tour the U.S.-Mexico border and celebrate Mass on behalf of the close to 6,000 migrants who have died in the U.S. desert since 1998. You can watch it live in just a few... Read more

Well it’s April 1. The day when the internet has fun. I’ve only been online for a half hour and I’ve already found 1. An article declaring that Kathleen Sebelius  will be the new Arch-bishop of Chicago. 2. A report that we will have a new ecumenical missal  3. A friendly reminder that today we are to refrain from veggies It’s going to be a good day!  Have you found any great April Fools Day gags yet? Let me know in... Read more

There is arguably no season in the Church calendar with more diverse scholarship surrounding it than the exploration of the origins of Lent. The opinions for its origins range widely, pointing to its beginnings emerging as early as pre-Christian Judaism and as late as the council of Nicaea, and from nearly every area on the map of the ancient Roman Empire. One of the most fascinating and influential theories in the last few decades has been the theory that Lent... Read more