“When I am weary with the cost I see the triumph of the cross So in its shadow I will run Till He completes the work begun. One day all things will be made new I’ll see the hope you called me to And in your kingdom paved with gold I’ll praise your faithfulness of [...]

My friend Jana has proposed a very interesting question: when embarking on religious work (Christian, in this case), should a person’s own finances come into play? That is, should a person entering the pastorate, Christian missionary work, or some other religious occupation delve into his or her own savings before raising support? Should he or [...]

I visited the Hyde Park location of Holy Trinity Church, today. I figured that any church holding services in a chapel at a synagogue has got to be interesting. I really liked it. It really made me think, and provided a lot of what I’m looking for in a church home.

I was a Religious Studies major as an undergraduate. I loved my field and my department, and I would not change my major, if I could go back to that time. I have to say, though, that a major like RELI makes it very hard to take any group – religious or otherwise – at [...]

I’m looking for a good church, preferrably not an incredible distance from my apartment. If anyone knows of a good one in Hyde Park, please let me know. Oh, and if anyone can explain to me why, in broad terms, “theological diversity” in a single congregation that is supposedly committed to certain core beliefs is [...]

“Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.” (German: “Dort, wo man BÃ?¼cher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.”)ââ?¬â?Heinrich Heine, from his play Almansor (1821) I saw a report on CNN Headline News, earlier, about the (midnight, last night) release of the latest Harry Potter novel. Forget for a moment [...]

A college student in California, writing a paper for an English class about the history of Christianity in the United States, used the word “God” (big ‘G’), and was failed for it. Her professor said that it (the use of a big ‘G’, as opposed to vague references to a “Christian god”, apparently) “would offend [...]

All my applications – a whopping 15 total, since I’m applying to do a J.D. and Ph.D. simultaneously, where possible – have been submitted, and I actually received my first acceptance letter, today, to Vanderbilt Law School. That was encouraging. In other news, if you haven’t caught the flu, yet, by all means, get a [...]

I would like to encourage you to reconsider your description of Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” at http://bible.gospelcom.net/languages/index.php?language=english&version=MSG . Far from capturing the “subtle connotations of meaning that are often lost in English translations,” The Message often exchanges these connotations for something totally different. Theological concepts are omitted, sin is downplayed – particularly by omitting reference [...]

The following is my reply to an email sent by a visitor to my website, asking for an explanation of the different Bible “versions.” Please remember that this is only an overview of the topic and is written for one evangelical Christian, by another. Dear [name withheld], Thank you for your question. I will try [...]