Role of Women in the History of the Church
Women had leadership roles in the early church, but then that power was taken away. Reformer John Knox railed against women’s leadership, as did men at a General Assembly meeting in America in 1811.
A Martyr to End Slavery: Rev. Elijah Parish Lovejoy
Elijah Parish Lovejoy was a minister and journalist who felt called to fight slavery. He refused to stop speaking out, to stop writing, to give up his cause. He was murdered by a pro-slavery mob.
The Stories We Tell about our Enemies
A West African proverb: until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero. Hearing the stories, the understandings, the circumstances of those we disagree with is the path to peace along the way of Christ.
Standing Amid the Ruins of a Concentration Camp
Visiting a concentration camp means feeling the suffering that calls out from the ground. It means remembering that so many Christians chose to wait passively and that we must make different choices.
Finding Peace and Befriending Bears: Seraphim of Sarov
In the late 18th-early 19th centuries, Seraphim of Sarov fasted, prayed, and meditated for decades. He became a miracle worker, a source of peace, and a friend of bears.
Meeting the Mystery: Shannon Craigo-Snell
“We are finite creatures, but we touch the fringes of infinity” – Shannon Craigo-Snell
A Wedding Blessing – You’ve Made It!
The wedding is happening now. All the preparation, stress, and frustrations are done. Be in this moment. It works for Christmas, too!
God With Us: Irenaeus
Irenaeus told us: “because of his measureless love, [Christ] became what we are… to enable us to become what he is.”
Mary Magdalene is (Probably) Not Who You Think She Is
Mary Magdalene was not a fallen temptress. She witnessed the resurrection, was the apostle to the apostles, and likely continued in leadership in the early church.
How Are You Being Saved Right Now?
What does it mean to see salvation as coming through the present moment rather than having happened in the past or something to look forward to in the future?