Church
Is Christian celebrity harmful to the church?
Yes, says Katelyn Beaty, who defines celebrity as “fame’s shinier, slightly obnoxious cousin.”
November 1, All Saints (Ephesians 1:11-23)
On All Saints’ Day I remember those who tried and failed and tried again.
The Presbyterian missionary who became a revolutionary in Iran
“Howard Baskerville believed there was no separation of religion and politics,” says Reza Aslan, “that democracy was a divine gift.”
Persia’s first American missionaries
Justin Perkins and Charlotte Bass suffered multiple losses during their missionary years. Was it worth it?
Post-evangelical healing
Charles Marsh writes beautifully about the anxiety instilled by his childhood faith—and the therapy it took to overcome it.
On Native land
Land acknowledgments can do a lot of good—if they’re rooted in solid process and relationships.
The priest behind the screen
Oddly enough, some of the best TV shows about clergy come from secular Europe.
Finding church after religious trauma
Brooke Petersen gathers the stories of eight queer Christians who left churches—and found new ones.
Meet the Church of Sweden’s archbishop-elect
Martin Modéus will lead the national church during a time of profound change.
The Night Pastor
I recently came across a record by 1960s Episcopal priest and jazz musician Robert Owen.
A church made of dust
After each service, I sweep up the dirt, specks of plastic, and tendrils of hair.
September 4, Ordinary 23C (Jeremiah 18:1–11)
There is nothing markedly sacred about the potter’s house.
Drawing God
A graphic novel about the Hebrew God, a collection of cartoons about Jesus, and a comic strip about the Holy Ghost
Ministry with the grieving
Twenty of us gathered to talk about having a job that requires us to weep with those who weep.
The World Council of Churches in wartime
The grim future of communion with the Russian Orthodox Church
What does it mean to be a green church during a climate crisis?
It’s a way of life. But it starts small.
Getting to yes on paid family leave
“We decided that we would be the last committee in the Episcopal Church to deal with this issue.”
My last note from the global church
This specialized column made more sense 14 years ago than it does now.