Category: Christianity

Billy Graham Center at Wheaton

Why Wheaton Matters – and Why I Need to Move On

January 12, 2016

The Larycia Hawkins story at Wheaton continued to develop over the weekend, as Time published an article by reporter Elizabeth Dias (herself a Wheaton alum) that raised further concerns about how the school’s administration had handled the situation. (See, for example, political scientist Tobin Grant’s analysis, which raised six big questions about the process.) Dias’ report also quoted several Wheaton faculty … More Why Wheaton Matters – and Why I Need to Move On

Jonathan Blanchard

“Who’s an Evangelical?” Revisited (#DocHawk Version)

January 8, 2016

As much as the Larycia Hawkins case at Wheaton College connects to issues like Muslim-Christian relations and the place of academic freedom on Christian campuses, I think it should also take us back to another topic I blogged a lot about in late 2015: What does it mean to be an “evangelical” Christian? In addition to my usual … More “Who’s an Evangelical?” Revisited (#DocHawk Version)

Book turning to blank pages

Thursday’s Podcast: A New Book, A New Season

January 7, 2016

It’s here! The first episode of Season 2 of The Pietist Schoolman Podcast is now available for download on iTunes! It’s the first of twelve weekly (mostly) episodes in which Mark Pattie and I will think aloud about our in-process book, Hope for Better Times: Pietism and the Future of Christianity. This episode (#13 in the entire run of the series) … More Thursday’s Podcast: A New Book, A New Season

Blanchard Hall

“No One Is Safe”: Larycia Hawkins Responds to Wheaton

January 6, 2016

Yesterday Wheaton College announced that provost Stanton Jones had recommended the termination of tenured political science professor Larycia Hawkins. (If you’re new to the story, here was my summary and reaction in mid-December, after Hawkins was suspended.) After a faculty committee makes its own recommendation, Wheaton president Philip Ryken will then take the matter to the college’s board for … More “No One Is Safe”: Larycia Hawkins Responds to Wheaton

Burne-Jones, "The Adoration of the Magi"

The Magi as Models for Christian Scholars

January 6, 2016

Pope Gregory the Great and Ambrose of Milan are the patron saints for teachers and learning, respectively. But this Epiphany — when Christians celebrate the revelation of Jesus, Son of God, to the world, and when many professors are starting a new term — I’ve been thinking about another, perhaps unlikely model of faithful scholarship from history: namely, the Magi of … More The Magi as Models for Christian Scholars

Pentecostal women in Chicago in 1941

Are Men Leaving the Church Because It’s Insufficiently Intellectual?

January 5, 2016

I don’t normally comment on things a year after they’re published, but since a post I hadn’t noticed before was referred to me over the weekend by two different colleagues, let me offer a few thoughts on Luke Harrington’s January 2015 piece, “Baptizing ‘Masculinity’: The Real Reason Men Are Leaving the Church.” In short, Harrington suggests … More Are Men Leaving the Church Because It’s Insufficiently Intellectual?

Colombel, "Christ Healing the Blind"

Life, and Abundantly: Gratitude in the New Year

January 4, 2016

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) Visiting another church yesterday morning, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a sermon on the theme of abundance. (Part of a series, actually.) It’s territory too often ceded to the worst of the … More Life, and Abundantly: Gratitude in the New Year

La Tour, Nativity

Christmas at The Pietist Schoolman

December 26, 2015

Apart from preparing a year-end wrap-up, I’ll be taking off the rest of 2015. In place of my usual That Was The Week That Was post, today and tomorrow I’ll share several links via the Pietist Schoolman Facebook page. Meanwhile, if you’re a newer visitor to this blog, you’ll find plenty of Christmas-y reading material in our archive. For example: … More Christmas at The Pietist Schoolman