Peter W. Marty
When churches fly like starlings
The birds fly without a designated leader. It takes them about 50 milliseconds to reach consensus.
Loving and protecting immigrants is a biblical command
The Hebrew Bible's instruction to love the neighbor appears only once. “Love the stranger” appears more than 35 times.
Remembering the things that give life
In occupied Paris, Yo-Yo Ma's father memorized Bach violin sonatas by day so he could play them during the blackout each night.
Are we sure we’re right?
When we fall in love with our own moral positions, we lose sight of how to stand up against evil.
April 15, Easter 3B (Luke 24:36b-48)
Our risen savior has taste buds and a digestive tract.
Guns are Americans’ golden calf
What began as respect for the Second Amendment has morphed into a colossal idolatry of lethal weapons.
There once was a Wednesday named Ash
It's Lent, and we all know what that means: time for limericks.
Jesus never promised to relieve our pain
Faith doesn't take away our suffering. It promises we're not alone.
Let us now praise church custodians
If I were to put up a plaque at church, I’d want it to honor our crew of sextons.
Going to church is inconvenient
If you haven't noticed, a lot of people are finding that worship doesn't fit their schedule.
A birthday present in the manger scene
We found a small, wrapped box next to Jesus. Should we open it?
Some bright spots in 2017
A year after the election, we decided to look for signs of hope. We found them all around us.
Rock Island's 12-toed Jesus
Why did an early 20th-century artist leave us with a polydactyl Jesus? I have a few guesses.
The military doesn't own the American flag
The controversy over athletes kneeling during the national anthem reveals America's unholy trinity of patriotism, militarism, and sports.
A religious test from Dianne Feinstein?
The senator's questioning of a Catholic judicial nominee misrepresented the nature of faith—and overstepped the spirit, at least, of the Constitution.
Don’t be bored, read the Century
Our staff operates under the premise that life is never dull.