(OPINION) Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI declared that “art and the saints are the greatest apologetic for our faith.” A movement was launched to transform painters into “tacit preachers,” wrote Gabriele Paleotti, archbishop of Bologna. The term tacit means wordless. Tacit preachers sought to move viewers in deeper ways than mere argument. Art provided a way to draw people together instead of tearing them apart.
Read More(OPINION) In the years following Martin Luther’s 95 theses, Luther was shocked by much of what he saw. What followed were uprisings so brutal and bloody that Luther himself condemned the rebels in terms so hysterical that even his admirers were taken back.
Read More(OPINION) What St. John Paul II taught was so wondrously beautiful that it took listeners some time to begin to grasp the significance of it. One of the first was his biographer, George Wiegel. He described the theology of the body as “a kind of theological time-bomb set to go off with dramatic consequences … perhaps in the 21st century.” I hope he’s right.
Read More(OPINION) If the sons of Judah were history’s first creative minority, and America’s renewal depends on the creative minority, and Catholic astronomers in China were the second creative minority, then I’m praying for a third creative minority. The books of Jeremiah and Daniel provide some of the details regarding becoming the creative minority.
Read More(OPINION) On this day in history, July 10, 1965, the Rolling Stones topped U.S. charts for the first time with the single “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” It signaled a shift. Beatlemania hit the U.S. in early 1964. The Beatles were playful, upbeat. The Stones were dark, restless. “Satisfaction” struck a chord. It resonated with what C.S. Lewis called “a new approach to life.” Discontentment.
Read More(OPINION) “Padre Pio” might not be for most folks. They don’t see the “hidden” knowledge of God in our being created as naked and unashamed. They instead associate all nudity with pornography. That’s because we’re a porn-saturated society. It’s estimated that 46%–74% of men and 16%–41% of women in the US are active pornography users.
Read More(OPINION) Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are good things. But DEI is like trying to change the world through law. There’s a better way: love. I think love is UEE: unity, equality and exclusions.
Read More(OPINION) Tax returns sadly say most American Christians are ungenerous, typically giving only 1.5% to 2% of their income according to an Oxford University Press book. It’s not that Christians don’t have the money but that they spend it on luxuries — with little leftover to give — while failing to perceive needs outside their own circles.
Read More(OPINION) It starts with the reenchantment of the body and sexuality, extending to the entire natural world. And here I offer a suggestion for parents, especially those drawn to “purity pledge” programs. The results remind me of Jesus’ warning that merely getting clean from something rather than for something often results in the second state being worse than the first.
Read More(OPINION) Is the church the bride of Christ? What does this mean? Michael Metzger makes a connection between the Gettysburg Address and the salvation meaning of Jesus' birth.
Read More(OPINION) Nobody knows how long the COVID-19 crisis will last. Simply “waiting it out” is not an option for businesses, and it’s not am option for faith communities. In order to stay relevant in this time of uncertainty, churches need to exercise the same innovation seen in the marketplace.
Read More(OPINION) Too often, the faith community reduces life to a small handful of topics: the gospel, discipleship, giving, kingdom, relationships, mission, community. These are necessary topics. They’re just too few. The Bible also has a lot to say about more practical matters from business to tourism.
Read More(OPINION) To bring Christianity out of exile in American culture, we should look for innovators among the small percentage of Evangelical Protestants who are both active and influential. Only a few are needed to launch fresh movements that can energize the faith.
Read More(COMMENTARY) We need both points of view to flourish as a society.
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