New Pietisten!

12/18/12 – The Winter 2012 issue of Pietisten is now available! In addition to my own piece on experiencing Christian unity in sacrament, song, and service, be sure to check out Bob Bach’s reflection on Christmas and light, Carolyn Poterek’s homily on Pietism as an Ephesians 4 movement, Michelle Urberg’s visit to a late medieval … More New Pietisten!

Prayer and Social Concern: Paul Rees and the Chicago Declaration

Perhaps the only benefit of having spent this past weekend laid up sick in bed was that I had plenty of time in which to finally finish David Swartz’s outstanding Moral Minority, the definitive history of the vast array of individual, communities, organizations, and publications that constituted the “evangelical left” in the late 1960s and … More Prayer and Social Concern: Paul Rees and the Chicago Declaration

Best of The Pietist Schoolman: College Architecture and Christian Simplicity

Reading this morning that American colleges and universities have accumulated over $200 billion in outstanding debt thanks to a “decade-long spending binge to build academic buildings, dormitories and recreational facilities — some of them inordinately lavish to attract students” reminded me of this post from last November… I’ve mentioned once or twice before that my … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: College Architecture and Christian Simplicity

Best of The Pietist Schoolman: A Very Nazi Christmas!

Nothing says Christmas in this society like rerunning something you’ve already seen before, so enjoy this repeat from December 2011! Ah, Christmas memories from childhood… Playing elf to my pediatrician father’s Santa at the Children’s Hospital party. Honoring my Swedish heritage by choking down one bite of lutefisk every Christmas Eve. Getting a pile of … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: A Very Nazi Christmas!

12/12/12

I’m recycling most of this from last November 11. Lazy? Sure, but keep in mind that I won’t get a chance to pull this again unless one of two equally unlikely things happens: (a) we adopt a calendar with more than twelve months; or (b) I’m still blogging on New Year’s Day in the year … More 12/12/12

The Depoliticization of Conservative Christian Colleges?

Are evangelical colleges and universities becoming more cautious about identifying themselves with political (not theological) conservatism? This month’s issue of Christianity Today features a brief story following up on the recent resignation of conservative pundit Dinesh D’Souza from the presidency of The King’s College (TKC), a conservative Christian school in New York City. Reporter Melissa … More The Depoliticization of Conservative Christian Colleges?

Text in Context: Readings for Our World War I Travel Course

In less than a month now, fourteen of us from Bethel University will leave for London to start a three-week travel course on the history of World War I. After eight days in England, we’ll cross the Channel to tour battlefield and memorial sites in Belgium and northern France, then wrap up with five days … More Text in Context: Readings for Our World War I Travel Course