Pastors Don’t Really Retire
A pastor who was so excited about retiring and doing nothing ended up creating a difficulty-with-retiring support group for the presbytery.
A Free Black Man Fought Slavery: William Still
William Still was born free in the 19th century. He worked to support the underground railroad and recorded the life stories of slaves. Then he met someone he never expected…
Imprisoned, a Nazi Resister Reflects: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer spent his final days in concentration camps, questioning how others saw hopefulness in him where he saw restlessness and weariness.
Missionaries to China Trying a Different Approach: Michele Ruggieri & Matteo Ricci
16th century missionaries to China Ruggieri & Ricci learned Chinese, wore Chinese robes, and did not insist that western cultural values were a part of learning the Gospel.
What if They Move Away Without Me?
When I was a baby, I was convinced that my parents were going to leave me behind when we moved away.
Domestic Violence as Idolatry
The ancient gods blamed humanity for their own failings and problems. If humanity didn’t soothe them, they were struck down. Abusers treat their victims the same way.
Tilling the Earth to Feed a Stranger: Walafrid
In the first thousand years of the church, monks sometimes planted gardens to share treats with visitors. Walafrid even wrote poetry about it!
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.