I learn so much from pastors and I’ve learned that I learn so much because we learn from one another. Pastors sometimes write me about cracking the code of a passage so they can preach it well, and I write to them about wisdom for preaching. I learn from them what matters to read people in congregations. Now from a professor to a pastor. Pastors I think could help their preaching and their prayers if they read books about writing. Besides... Read more

By Michelle Van Loon www.michellevanloon.com www.MomentsAndDays.org I’ve been writing about faith at midlife since…well, since I hit that life stage more than a decade ago. I discovered that when I sought support and encouragement from my local church as I was facing a string of disorienting changes and losses directly tied to this stage of my life, the answer I received (and I’m paraphrasing a bit here) was: “Just keep doing what you’ve always done. Serve your way out of... Read more

Love it. It took 98 years and seven months of living for Sister Jean Delores Schmidt to be asked this question: “Is it OK if we license your name and image?” That’s exactly what Loyola-Chicago officials were doing earlier this week, as demand from licensees came in to the school’s athletic department. “We weren’t going to do anything until she gave her blessing,” said Tom Sorboro, a senior associate athletic director at the school. When the conversation happened, the nun... Read more

I loved this from SI.com about Leonard Hamilton, from Florida State: In the moments after a 58-54 loss to the Wolverines on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament’s West Regional final, Hamilton was asked by CBS reporter Dana Jacobson about the decision not to foul the Wolverines in the final 11 seconds while trailing by only four points. Hamilton initially appeared confused, then after Jacobson reiterated her question, Hamilton asked, “You think that the game came down to the final seconds... Read more

The Writing Life is not it’s all cracked up to be. Let me jump out of the blocks with that one. I do so only because it’s true. Before I give you a choice set of lines from a brilliant writer, I give you a few of my own thoughts on The Writing Life. Here’s a good (and typical) day, and it would be every day if my school somehow got the idea that funding a professor to write without... Read more

From Larry Hurtado: At a musical event last night where a Christian minister also spoke, he referred to Jesus as “rising from the dead, proving that he was God.”  I find no such statement anywhere in the NT.  Instead, the NT writings rather consistently claim that Jesus was raised from death by God.  And the effects claimed were that, thereby, the man Jesus became the foundation and pattern for the ultimate redemption proffered to his followers. Granted, NT texts reflect the belief... Read more

CNN: Washington (CNN)CNN commentator and former Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Rick Santorum on Sunday suggested students protesting for gun control legislation would be better served by taking CPR classes and preparing for active shooter scenarios. “How about kids instead of looking to someone else to solve their problem, do something about maybe taking CPR classes or trying to deal with situations that when there is a violent shooter that you can actually respond to that,” Santorum said on CNN’s “State of... Read more

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.... Read more

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