The old shepherd’s leather skin burns as he tends his sheep in the hot desert of the Sinai peninsula. Now reaching 80, he thinks back on his life. Born into the lap of luxury in the seat of power in imperial Egypt, he had to flee at the age of 40 because, in a fit […]

“The atheist’s problem is not so much with the existence of God but with the character of God.”[1] What is God like? That is the most important question, and try as we might, we cannot escape it. We naturally form images in our minds of what we think God is like. Some of these images

Life is filled with questions. Our busy lives are mostly filled with the question How: How can we be more efficient, more relaxed, more happy, more….? But the key question, the one that tugs at our soul, is Why?  Life should make sense; the pieces should fit. Philosopher Loren Eisley had it right: Mankind is

All was dark. For those first disciples of Jesus, the story ended tragically and unjustly. Dreams of justice were crushed under the boot of oppression.  Lies and manipulation triumphed where truth and love had been offered. The end had come with the clang of the hammer pounding nails into raw flesh. The end had come,

A Roman crucifixion began by flogging.[1]   GOD ALMIGHTY was tied face first to a large post, with his hands stretched upward. He was naked, so his whole body, back, buttocks, and legs were exposed. He had already been beaten by the Jewish authorities, so his face was swollen, black and blue. The usual flogging instrument

We live in scary times. We have plenty of things to be troubled about in our world: inflation and economic uncertainties; dictators in China, Russia, and other places, with intents on world domination; political polarization at home and a divided government; and a constant barrage of information and social media that results in a 24-7

This is the second of a three-part blog addressing the question of how Christians should respond to a very secularized culture that, in places, is hostile to Christianity. One response is what has come to be known as “Christian nationalism,” and the first blog offered a critique of that viewpoint. This second blog will contrast

Our culture is becoming more hostile to Christianity. We are living in what is very much a “post-Christian” world. In times past, Christianity was seen as either a social good or at least tolerated; today, traditional Christian beliefs about sexuality and gender (which have been held for 2,000 years) are now viewed as dangerous.  Progressive

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? I like making New Year’s resolutions because they provide a reset, and that’s a good thing. This year my New Year’s resolution is a simple one, but one that I am going to try to remind myself of every day. This resolution came to me partly because of

Do you have a favorite Christmas movie? What about a favorite Christmas movie scene? Here are a few of my favorites: When Will Farrell, the Elf, is in the department store in New York, and he hears on the loudspeaker, “Santa is coming soon!” and he goes crazy: “SANTA!!” When Ralphie and the family have