Almost Christian 4: Generative Faith

One of the central questions the NSYR gives input on is what factors in a teenager’s life put her on a path to being a committed religious adult? It would be tempting to read a book like Almost Christian looking for the “key” to making teenagers into lifelong people of faith. If that is what [...]

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Dismantling Hope in the Powers

I grew up in a church that has an American flag right up front each and every Sunday morning.  On national holidays we would sing anthems to the greatness of the US.  The impression was clear: to be a good Christian is to be strong in support of America. (I should note one thing.  That [...]

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A Little History is a Good Thing

In the year 1347 a merchant ship docked in the port of Genoa, in Italy. Three years later 1/3 of the population of Europe, 30 million people, were dead. This ship landing in Genoa brought the black plague to European shores and despite the best efforts to stop its spread, spread it did. These were [...]

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Summer in Thessalonica – Flatland and the End

Two years ago I read a fun little book called Flatland. It begins in a two-dimensional world (flatland, like one you would draw on a piece of paper) with the main character, a Square, telling his story. In the story the Square is visited by a three-dimensional Sphere from Spaceland. But having never lived in [...]

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Summer in Thessalonica – Hope in Death

At seven feet and seven inches tall, weight 225 pounds, Manute Bol was the skinniest players in the NBA. He was never a great player, averaging only about three points per game, but he did manage to make a fortune playing basketball. Manute Bol went broke by giving most of his six million dollars to [...]

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