Category: Culture
Neither Dependence nor Independence
Perhaps the chief value of modern American society, apart from abstract “freedom” and capitalism, is individualism. The idea that we can be the best, do as we please, and be responsible for and to ourselves...
Ebola Deaths Rise As Patients Turn to Miracles Over Medicine: Christianity Today
This story is published in full at Christianity Today. The tight restrictions put in place to stop the latest flare-up of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) go against the typical rhythms of church...
Global Christianity Breakdown by Denomination and Rite
There are about 2.5 billion Christians in the world. That’s more than 35 percent of humanity. So why do so many Christians feel like they’re in the minority? Part of it is perception. Part of...
God Has a Patronus
Here’s an interesting theological and literary question I was thinking about recently: Is a Christian’s patronus really just the Holy Spirit? For muggles who don’t know, patronuses are sort of ghostly animals that play prominently...
Kardashev’s Scale and the Kingdom of God: Part 4 – Type 3 and 4 Civilizations
Now things are getting wilder. We started out with a discussion of the Kardashev Scale—a seven-phase scale gauging a civilization’s advancement based on how much energy it can harness—and how it relates to Christianity. We...
Kardashev’s Scale and the Kingdom of God: Part 3 – Type 2 Civilization
Last time we talked about what Christianity has to say about the not-too-distant future of human civilization. Specifically, the progress of humanity into a Type I civilization—one that can harness all the power of its...
Kardashev’s Scale and the Kingdom of God: Part 2 – Type 1 Civilization
What does Christianity have to say about the not-too-distant future of human civilization? As science fiction increasingly weaves into our reality, we need to think ahead and think well about how our theology will shape—and...
Kardashev’s Scale and the Kingdom of God: Part 1 – Christianity and the Cosmos
Despite our acknowledgement of the bigness of God and the length of eternity, Christians tend to focus on the here and now. Surely, it’s appropriate to emphasize presence in the present. We have but one...
Why Are Catholics Better at Soccer?
The teams in this year’s World Cup seem to suggest that Catholic nations have disproportionate soccer skill. Nearly half of the 32 teams in the tournament are from predominantly Catholic countries, though only about 16...
Your Personal Den of Robbers
When God enters his holy dwelling place, he brings a lot of change. This is the sanctification of the Christian life—the transformation of mind and heart. Part of that transformation is mopping up the dirty...