I, like most kids in the United States, learned about Johnny Appleseed in ways that made him seem more like the Tooth Fairy or Batman than an actual historical figure. There’s at least as much myth about the man, born John Chapman, than there is recorded historical fact. But his impact on the emerging West after the Revolutionary War is undeniable. In his book, “The Core of Johnny Appleseed,” Ray Silverman offers much more about the man, the entrepreneur,... Read more
Earlier in 2012, I had my first memoir/humor book published called “PregMANcy: A Dad, A Little Dude and a Due Date,” published by Chalice Press. The book follows my wife second pregnancy with our daughter, Zoe (now 3 years old) from conception (more or less) to birth. Suffice it to say I was less than enthralled by the idea of getting pregnant again, so this book was my way of dealing with my own neuroses. At one point, my wife,... Read more
Over the weekend, our friend Phil Snider had the unexpected pleasure of going viral. Not him personally, really, but a video he appeared in this past August snatched more than 2.5 million views after Gawker picked it up. Phil is a Disciples of Christ pastor in Springfield, MO, and he was speaking on behalf of LGBT rights at a local city council meeting. What he said and how he said it were nothing short of remarkable. Christian Piatt and Jordan Green were fortunate to get... Read more
I have nothing clever to say this week, so…Ta daaaaaa! Church Sign Epic Fails, Vol. XXXV Church Sign Epic Fails, Birthday Edition Church Sign Epic Fails, Reader Submissions (Part 2) Church Sign Epic Fails: Reader Submission Special Edition Church Sign Epic Fails, Miraculous Mashup (Vol. 31) Church Sign Epic Fails: Holy Kitsch Edition Church Sign Epic Location Fails (Vol. 29) Church Sign Epic Fails, WTF Edition Church Sign Epic Fails, Volume 27 Church Sign Epic Fails: Faith vs Reason Throwdown... Read more
Homebrewed Christianity CultureCast is listed today as “New and Noteworthy” in religion podcasts…This is a big opportunity for us to gain some serious traffic, but we need help! Please go to this link, rank it, share a review and subscribe. If it gains traction, it could have a chance to blow up. According to Tripp Fuller, the guy who started Homebrewed, this is the first progressive Christian podcast ever to make the Religion Podcast homepage. We’re listed next to Driscoll... Read more
Some may be aware of the dust kicked up around Rachel Held Evans‘ new book, “A Year of Biblical Womanhood,” but in case you’re unfamiliar with the “vagina-gate” phenomenon, let me catch you up. For starters, I think the whole name for the phenomenon is a little bit unfortunate. Yes, I know that every time something seems to be a little bit scandalous or sensational, we have to attach “gate” to the end of it, but the phrase “vagina-gate” is... Read more
Growing up, I looked to my dad as the quintessential definition of what a man was. He was pretty quiet but prone to anger. He worked crazy hours as the primary provider in the house, but still made time to build things nearly every weekend around the house. He had tons of tools, knew everything about everything and was never, ever wrong. Some of what he was to me was passed along; most of it didn’t stick. And for that,... Read more
If the Church Sign Epic Fails series was alive, it could be President of the United States. Given the current political climate, maybe that’s not such a bad idea… Church Sign Epic Fails, Birthday Edition Church Sign Epic Fails, Reader Submissions (Part 2) Church Sign Epic Fails: Reader Submission Special Edition Church Sign Epic Fails, Miraculous Mashup (Vol. 31) Church Sign Epic Fails: Holy Kitsch Edition Church Sign Epic Location Fails (Vol. 29) Church Sign Epic Fails, WTF Edition Church... Read more
Writing books is a strange process. When you’re in the middle of creating something this big, it tends to consume your every waking moment in some way. I can’t watch TV or have a conversation with a neighbor without my mind searching the content for narrative or thematic threads to weave into the chapter I’m working on. It can be a little bit maddening, at least for those around us, I expect. But I love it. One unlikely wonderful source... Read more
It’s always annoyed me when people assume that, because I’m a Christian, I must also be socially conservative on all requisite issues. And while I understand those who lean further right because of their Christian beliefs, I take issue with those who suggest that being both a follower of Christ and a social progressive are mutually exclusive. In fact, most of my positions on social issues can be traced back to my faith, which goes to show that the spectrum... Read more
Christian Piatt
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