Dimnent Chapel, Hope College

Two Christian Colleges Change Policy after the Obergefell Ruling

July 6, 2015

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling late last month in the Obergefell case, there was much speculation that religiously-affiliated schools and universities could feel pressure to change their policies vis-à-vis LGBT individuals. For a calm, well-informed consideration of potential issues facing Christian colleges and universities after Obergefell, I recommend John Hawthorne’s response to an earlier post from Philip Bethancourt of the … More Two Christian Colleges Change Policy after the Obergefell Ruling

Children marching in a 4th of July parade

Patriotism, Love, and Grace: An Independence Day Meditation

July 3, 2015

This 4th of July weekend I’m feeling more patriotic than I have in years, thanks to two speeches by Pres. Obama. First, his speech this past March at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Obama remembered the civil right activists who fifty years earlier had been brutally attacked during their peaceful march to Montgomery: As … More Patriotism, Love, and Grace: An Independence Day Meditation

Bethel University: Community Life Center and Benson Great Hall

In Dubiis Libertas: Opening Up the Sexuality Conversation at Christian Universities (Mark Bruce)

July 1, 2015

In recent posts, I’ve called on evangelicals to have a genuine conversation about sexuality, in fitting with their Reformation heritage as Christians who are “reformed and always reforming.” In this guest post, my colleague Mark Bruce explains why it’s especially important — and difficult — to have such conversations at Christian colleges and universities. When asked for … More In Dubiis Libertas: Opening Up the Sexuality Conversation at Christian Universities (Mark Bruce)

The 95 Theses

Evangelicalism after Obergefell: Reformed and Always Reforming

June 29, 2015

In the wake of Friday’s landmark ruling from the Supreme Court, affirming that the right to marriage extends to same-sex couples, there’s already been much speculation about what’s next for evangelicals — who constitute something like a quarter of this country’s population but, according to opinion polls, are markedly less likely than their fellow Americans to support … More Evangelicalism after Obergefell: Reformed and Always Reforming

U.S. Supreme Court building

A Day of Listening: Andrew Sullivan on Marriage

June 26, 2015

Yesterday morning I had the chance to talk to a group of pastors pursuing their D.Min. degrees. Invited to share a parting comment, I encouraged them to cultivate what Krista Tippett has called a “ministry of listening.” I suggested that that was particularly true for us white, straight, middle-class men in America who are accustomed to having our … More A Day of Listening: Andrew Sullivan on Marriage

Jared Burkholder teaching

Jared on C-SPAN: Pacifists in the American Revolution

June 26, 2015

6/26/15 – Look who’s taking over C-SPAN: it’s Pietist Schoolman guest-blogger Jared Burkholder, speaking about religious pacifists during the American Revolution. Jared points to the diversity in responses from the Moravians, Mennonites, Brethren, and other “peace church” traditions — several rooted in Pietism. (Incidentally, I had wondered aloud about this topic way back in a 2012 blog post … More Jared on C-SPAN: Pacifists in the American Revolution

5 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Pietists

June 26, 2015

Click-baity? Sure, but only half as click-baity as what Russell Moore did this week for the Southern Baptists… Here are five things I wish everyone knew about Pietists: We still exist If most people know anything about Pietism, they most likely think of a religious movement in the late 17th and early 18th century. But unlike other Christian traditions, … More 5 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Pietists