That title is actually false - I am no longer in the middle of nowhere. But Emily, Junia, Skippy and I were privileged to spend the first four days this week practically in the middle of nowhere. My aunt and uncle graciously allowed us to use their cabin for a retreat away from the world.…
Tag: family
Our Daughter’s Name and What it Means
Even before we knew we were going to have a baby, Emily and I had often discussed potential baby names. Did we want to go with something traditional? Perhaps a name already in our family? Or something new and hip? We chose not to learn the gender of our child, so we really had to…
A Week With the Unholy Trinity
Don't let the title fool you, this post has nothing to do with God. It has everything to do with dogs! Emily and I have been dog-sitting for my sister and brother-in-law this week while they are on vacation. Three dogs, two adult humans and one baby human in a place I like to call,…
Almost Christian 4: Generative Faith
One of the central questions the NSYR gives input on is what factors in a teenager's life put her on a path to being a committed religious adult? It would be tempting to read a book like Almost Christian looking for the "key" to making teenagers into lifelong people of faith. If that is what…
Almost Christian 3 – Mormon Envy
The National Study of Youth and Religion has shown that teenagers highly devoted to faith have families and churches that provide support. Specifically, this support reinforces four cultural tools that set young people firmly in their religious tradition (Almost Christian, 49): 1. They confess their tradition's creed, or God story. 2. They belong to a…
Recent Reads
My friend Zach has started a fun website, check it out and contribute to the discussion: Life in Tandem. Too often pastors make the news for scandal, so it is refreshing to read the story of Francis Chan. Ironically, part of the reason he left the church was because he becoming a Christian celebrity, but…
What Should I do with Santa Claus?
In May my wife is due to give birth to our first child. I am both excited and terrified to be a father. In the midst of all the doctor's appointments, searching for cribs and other necessities, and reading books about parenting I have been thinking about what to do with Santa Claus? Maybe this…
Recent Reads – Articles
Students have headed home for the holidays, not to return for three weeks! As always, I will spend this time in study and preparation for the coming semester. As part of that study, I may spend a lot of time reading the work of the professors listed as the "Top 40 Blogs by Theology Professors."…
Recent Reads
Here are a few recent online articles that I found thought-provoking, interesting and fun: Today in the New York Times Ross Douthat talks about how the "culture war" is changing. Interestingly, as it pertains to campus ministry, this change has partly come about as evangelical Christians have become better educated over the last decades…
On Campus at PSU Berks
Since Penn State has no fall break, students go straight through from August until today, thirteen straight weeks of class with only labor day as a respite in early September. But now they head home for a full week off. They need a break. I can definitely see their weariness in their eyes and body…
