Our columnist witnesses a whole lot of despair, but he always looks for a measure of hope. He explains why ā and how ā as he reports from the scene of Southern Californiaās deadly wildfires.
Read More(OPINION) It might be surprising to hear that clergy are among the happiest and most fulfilled employees. Being a minister isnāt an easy job, for sure. Some preachers get burned out. Iāve been burned out at times myself. But dig a bit deeper into the data and these high-satisfaction numbers arenāt so surprising.
Read More(OPINION) Itās gratifying to see new government policies which align with Godās creational order, yet this is not the end of our witness on this issue. Our churches should both be eager to declare what is good and true and beautiful about biblical masculinity and femininity and read to help those who struggle with gender dysphoria find hope in the Gospel and the resurrection of the body at the end of the age.
Read MoreFor the most fervent of the football faithful, the Super Bowl ā which last year drew a record 123.7 million U.S. viewers ā brings rituals and traditions with a quasi-religious feel. But at least one Christian scholar has concerns.
Read More(OPINION) I still believe almost 50 years later that my father was divinely healed. I was there. I saw it. But I also believe that what happened to him was a once-in-a-thousand-prayers miracle. A miracle of biblical proportions. It was not the norm.
Read More(OPINION) Vandalism wonāt stop us from serving great food ā and, with it, joy, connection and unity.
Read MoreHoss Ridgeway mixes preaching and stand-up comedy. The Indiana minister says he knows when itās appropriate to be funny ā and when the situation calls for a serious approach.
Read More(OPINION) Churches, temples and other religious organizations often employ experienced, highly skilled people ā talented employees who could otherwise find work in the private sector but are called to service by their faith and belief in their communityās mission and values. These employees will often compromise on salary to do meaningful work, but they do expect adequate benefits and health care. For church leaders ā often under pressure to keep a close eye on expenses ā finding and paying for health care can be the most stressful part of the job.
Read More(OPINION) This past summer, still in her 50s, Vickie fell ill with what turned out to be advanced ovarian cancer. Surgery didnāt help. Chemo didnāt help. The cancer just kept coming. Thatās when truly remarkable things started happening.
Read MorePresident Donald Trumpās latest inaugural speech was notable not for its inclusion of God but for the specific personal nature of what he said.
Read More(OPINION) I have one bit of advice for all those people fuming over Elon Muskās hand gestures: Stop. I know itās tough to resist the temptation to go into full outrage mode over the apparent Nazi gesture Musk made during an Inauguration Day speech at Washington, D.C.ās Capital One Arena. A lot of energy has gone into parsing Muskās gesture, and attacking those who donāt see it your way.
Read More(OPINION) Some of historian Tom Hollandās insights are surprising, including his contention that modern developments ā including the transgender rights movement and a recent spike in atheism ā probably wouldnāt exist were it not for the Westās Christian philosophical and moral foundations.
Read MoreOur recent column on whether all dogs go to heaven generated some precious responses and a few emails that reminded us why dogs ā and not some grumpy humans ā are considered manās best friend.
Read More(OPINION) The first vote I ever cast was against Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election. I was 20 and in college, trying to leave behind my strict Southern Baptist upbringing. Carter seemed to embody much of what I hoped to escape. It took me a while to realize how mistaken Iād been about the man.
Read MoreAt Thursdayās state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter, speaker after speaker referenced the humble Georgia peanut farmerās commitment to God.
Read More(OPINION) It is seldom that one enters a film that resonates with one ownās life. For me, āThe Brutalistā is such a film. It combines the themes of the Holocaust, Israel, immigration, capitalism, architecture, and the struggles to make sense of it all. The film depicts a successful Bauhaus-trained Hungarian architect who reaches the shores of America after his incarceration in concentration camps.
Read More(OPINION) The media and the public are now accustomed to hearing athletes thank God for the abilities he has given them. But that wasnāt always the case. In baseball in the 1950 and ā60s, it was extremely rare to hear such pronouncements from athletes. Then, during the 1970s in San Francisco, one of the great culture clashes between religious athletes, the media and the fan base erupted over a group of born-again ballplayers.
Read More(OPINION) David Brooks grew up Jewish, but as a kid also attended a Christian school and camp. As an adult, he kept kosher and sent his kids to Jewish schools, ābut all that proximity still didnāt make me a believer.ā His essay on his journey from agnosticism to faith is just beautiful.
Read More(OPINION) Godās always in the business of loving and healing the world. But given the state of humanity, healing rarely follows a straight line. There are complications and mistakes and delays. The wondrous thing is, though, that nobody gets turned away.
Read MoreIn a special year-end edition, Weekend Plug-in counts down the Top 10 most popular ReligionUnplugged.com stories from the past 12 months.
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