Written by Allen Cates

“The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.” - G.K. Chesterton

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Written by John Pattison

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. published five books in his lifetime; a sixth was released after he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968, at the age of 39. They are all seminal works for American Christians. Stride Toward Freedom (1958) tells the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The Measure of a Man (1959) is a slim volume explaining the theological and philosophical roots of nonviolent activism. Why We Can’t Wait (1964) is a history of the civil rights movement in general, and the 1963 Birmingham Campaign in particular. This book includes his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” which was addressed to eight clergymen and urged the church to join the struggle for racial justice. King’s 1967 book Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? is a clear-eyed look at the state of race relations at a moment when the civil rights movement was in disarray. The book also makes a provocative connection between the bankrupt ideology of systemic discrimination, and the literal impoverishment of millions of Americans, white and black. The five speeches that make up The Trumpet of Conscience, published posthumously in 1968, link the evils of poverty, militarism and racism, and call for nothing less than a nonviolent revolution.

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Written by Karen Swallow Prior

I’m an English professor, so I’m a little biased when it comes to the topic of reading. I believe that reading widely and well benefits everyone. But for the Christian, reading holds particular theological and worldview applications. And I’m not talking just about reading the Bible, theology or guides to Christian living (although those are good for a Christian to read). I’m saying that the literary Christian is uniquely equipped to live out the Christian faith and to draw others to it because of a connection between being a faithful reader and a faithful Christian.

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Written by Ian Ebright

RELEVANT talks to pastor and author Richard Dahlstrom about his new book, passion and intellectual vs. active faith.

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Written by David Masciotra

The following is an excerpt from David Masciotra’s book-in-progress, Faith That Won’t Die: Death, Defeat, Sex, and Spirituality in One Rust Belt Town:

One of the most often repeated clichés in American culture is that life is about the “journey and not the destination.” Anyone with any familiarity with American culture, however, knows that it is an efficiency-obsessed, results-driven, success-centered utilitarian marketplace more than it is a nation. As a priest friend of mine puts it, “In America all that matters is you go home rich. You may go home neurotic and psychotic, but if you’re rich that’s fine.”

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Written by Spencer Spellman

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October 1st, 2010

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Are You a Christian?

By Spencer Spellman

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"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. "
 John 13:35 TNIV

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Written by Bryon Mondok

There is no easy way to combine two separate organizations. Tullian Tchividjian, the new pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., learned this very difficult lesson firsthand during the summer and fall of 2009. As he stepped into the pulpit of the late Dr. D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Tchividjian preached a sermon series through the book of Jonah. His latest book, Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels [check out our review here], is a product of this trying time. This book is the fruit of his personal trial.

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Written by Carl Kozlowski

Larry Doyle has a cartoonish take on life, having spent three seasons writing on The Simpsons and, before that, three seasons on Beavis and Butthead. But after moving into live-action film writing, the Baltimore native turned his thoughts back to high school and wrote the novel I Love You, Beth Cooper, which went on to win the highly prestigious James Thurber Award, given to the best humorous novel of the year.

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Written by Scott Thompson

I never read Wired magazine until my friend Dan subscribed to it. Some college kid came to his door selling magazines to pay for tuition or books or a trip to Cancun—I really don’t know. Anyway, Dan felt bad for the kid, and because ESPN the magazine wasn’t on the list, he chose Wired. A couple of months ago I was over at his place and saw the latest copy on his kitchen counter. The cover article was “The New Atheism.” It’s always a good idea to know what’s happening on both sides of the spiritual fence, so I borrowed it. A few days later, I was at Starbucks having some studying/writing time, so I pulled the magazine out and dug in. It was fascinating, infuriating and depressing all at the same time. Long before Nietzsche proclaimed that “God is dead,” atheists have argued that there is no God. But for a growing number, that is not good enough anymore. It is not enough to have figured out the mysteries of the universe through sheer brilliance and genius. Now, they have gotten into the outreach game. They are now missionaries of nihilism. According to the new atheists, all faith must be extinguished because it is harmful to humanity.

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Written by Kristen McCarty

In the Christian tradition that I grew up in, personal morality was often the primary focus of all teaching. It wasn’t until college that I began to learn about social justice issues and how they related to the Kingdom of God. In both the Old and New Testament, God reminds us that He cares for the poor and mistreated and wants us to do the same. In Isaiah 58:5-6 God says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them ... ?" (TNIV).

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