Review by Dan Muth Theological Territories: A David Bentley Hart DigestBy David Bentley Hart Notre Dame Press, pp. 420, $29 It’s not hard to point to your least favorite politician, cultural movement, what have you, and claim that, far from living in a time of meaningful progress, ours is actually a dark age of ignorance and superstition. What else is new? … [Read more...] about A Prophet for the Ages
Essays & Reviews
The Gifts of Online Church
By Amy Denney Zuniga and Robin Denney Amid unprecedented shutdowns during the COVID pandemic, churches tumbled into a time of necessary creativity and online engagement. Some have rejected online church as though it were the death of incarnational community. We are Episcopal priests in charge of mid-sized neighboring churches in Northern California. In the last two years our … [Read more...] about The Gifts of Online Church
Portable Wisdom
By Charles Hoffacker I carry in my wallet a small piece of paper with these four statements: Don’t complain. Celebrate small joys. Choose to be noble. Cling to your source of strength. From time to time I take out the paper and reflect on these statements, these invitations. This is not a regular exercise, but I do it occasionally. Unoccupied spaces in my day seem to be … [Read more...] about Portable Wisdom
Spider-Man and Redemption
Spider-Man No Way Home PG-13 Review by Leonard Freeman A few early critics did not give Spider-Man: No Way Home a lot of love, but apparently they forgot to check with the rest of the moviegoing public. The first film to pass $1 billion at the box office in the COVID pandemic era, Spider-Man: No Way Home has apparently spoken to an entertainment need significantly … [Read more...] about Spider-Man and Redemption
The Church and the 12 Steps
Why Can’t Church Be More Like an AA Meeting? And Other Questions Christians Ask about Recovery By Stephen R. Haynes Eerdmans, pp. 240, $19.99 As an Amazon Associate, TLC earns from qualifying purchases. Review by Chilton R. Knudsen The title of this book is a question often asked in both church and recovery settings. Churchgoers (and former churchgoers) … [Read more...] about The Church and the 12 Steps
Ethics: Drone Warfare Wounds Our Warriors
By Deonna D. Neal A few years ago the Journal of Military Ethics published a lively exchange on whether the use of drones (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or remotely piloted vehicles) was morally obligatory in warfare. One author argued it was morally obligatory to use drones instead of manned aircraft, if possible, since the lives of the operators are never placed at … [Read more...] about Ethics: Drone Warfare Wounds Our Warriors
Two Useful Guides to Church Finances
Review by James W. Murphy Creating Financially Sustainable Congregations By James L. Elrod Jr. Church Publishing, pp.128, $14.95 James Elrod’s Creating Financially Sustainable Congregations and Mark Elsdon’s We Aren’t Broke are filled with useful guidance, and both pose provocations as churches seek to be effective, sustainable, and relevant in the post-COVID world. Both … [Read more...] about Two Useful Guides to Church Finances
Spain, 1000-1200: Art at the Frontiers of Faith
Crossing Lines Spain, 1000-1200: Art at the Frontiers of Faith The Met Cloisters, Fuentidueña Chapel Gallery, Gallery 2 Through January 30, 2022 Reviewed by Pamela A. Lewis Frontier usually denotes separation and limitation, a boundary betwixt here and there, and even us and them. Whether wrought by nature or by human hands, a frontier at once divides and defines. According … [Read more...] about Spain, 1000-1200: Art at the Frontiers of Faith