This week I wrote about the difference between Swedish and American evangelicalism. And while I didn’t quite keep up my daily devotional pace to end October, I did reflect on Jesus as Messiah, the challenge of perfection, and the political implications of Martin Luther’s least favorite epistle. Elsewhere: • The “state of a polarized nation” … More That Was The Week That Was
At the end of the 6th century AD, Pope Gregory the Great launched one of the most significant missions in Christian history. “Do not let the toil of the journey or the tongues of men, discourage you,” he told the apprehensive monks tasked with converting the Anglo-Saxon people of England, “but with all earnestness and … More The With-God Life: Idols
This week I continued my “With-God Life” series of lectionary devotions (from John 9 to John 11, with psalms, apocalypses, and more in between) and recorded a podcast about teaching sports when COVID-19 has shut down sports. Over at The Anxious Bench, I recommended some virtual field trips for home-bound kids and considered the significance of … More That Was The Week That Was
There’s a lot to like about the Netflix series The Crown, but I’m particularly struck that it’s that rarest of TV shows: one that takes religion seriously. In season 1, that theme showed up as the family of Queen Elizabeth II educate her about her role. Her dying grandmother insists that “Monarchy is God’s sacred mission … More Religion in Season 3 of The Crown
A funeral made me reflect on Thanksgiving, the approach of Christmas made me consider some gift options for history buffs, and I filled in some holes in my knowledge about the Salvation Army. Elsewhere… • Speaking of Salvationists… Stephen Carter cautioned progressives against boycotting the Army’s activities because of its stance on marriage. • Do I … More That Was The Week That Was
Today I’d like to revive a kind of holiday tradition from the early years of The Pietist Schoolman: going through some “best of” lists to curate a list of histories and biographies that might make for good Christmas presents for my readers. This year I’ll draw on year-end recommendations from the New York Times (NYT), Publishers Weekly … More The Best History Books of 2019?
Lots of Lindbergh here at The Pietist Schoolman, where I considered Charles’ connections to the space program and Anne’s diaries and letters. Over at The Anxious Bench I reported that a recent book on hymnals says as much about the histories of reading and childhood as singing. Elsewhere: • Charles Lindbergh is far from the only famous … More That Was The Week That Was
The Imperial War Museum in London is pretty much my favorite museum in the world. But I’ve been there often enough over the past few years that last month I looked for new ways to enjoy familiar exhibits on the wars of the 20th century. Soon I found myself noticing how many artifacts were connected … More Childhood and the World Wars
I don’t think I have the energy to lead a European tour every summer, so as I look ahead to the future of Pietist Schoolman Travel, I’ve got U.S. history topics in mind for 2020 (the sports history tour I mentioned yesterday) and 2022 (more on that tomorrow or Thursday). But I do love to take … More Future Tours: Christianity and Western Culture
Before spending most of the week enjoying a holiday trip with family, I reflected on the recent annual meeting of my home denomination, explained what’s been called the “honest patriotism” of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and shared some reflections from my parents and two others who joined us last month on our World Wars in Western … More That Was The Week That Was
