I think it’s safe to say that at some point, we all have wondered if there is more to the world than what we can see. Every society seems to have stories of things that happen beyond explanation; ghosts are a common feature, but fairies, goblins, dæmons, djinn and plenty of other creatures have graced both our stories and our superstitions. To a certain extent, living in the West, we dismiss these stories out of hand, but to many people throughout time and space, these creatures are real and fearsome.
Read moreCreation Care
Creation care is a term often used by environmentally-conscious Christians when referring to the God-given mandate of stewardship. Political commentary has, unfortunately, created a division that pins environmentalists as liberals—which can be a major turn-off to a large portion of evangelicals. However, if more Christians understood the importance of caring for the earth and were committed to voting with the climate in mind, necessary change could occur.
Read moreRevisiting Prayer
I find myself thinking sometimes about what it will be like when we finally see God face to face, and what it will look like to see His saints together, perfect, in His presence, worshipping Him. I know that when we see God He will be more majestic and awesome than we could ever imagine. I don’t know exactly what it will feel like, but I know that the overwhelming joy and love we’ll feel that day will be more overpowering than anything we could ever come close to experiencing until it happens. I have to admit that in this very limited time we have here to do whatever our King might call us to, the times I feel most overwhelmed by the hope of that future glory is when I come before God in prayer.
Read moreVanity, Sehnsucht, and the Wordless Prayer
Inconsolable desire. Nostalgia for something we have never known. Homesickness for a home we cannot name. The pervasive edge to even our happiest moments, that makes even beauty hurt, and reminds us that those moments are fleeting. These feelings are wrapped up in the German word “sehnsucht,” a deep sense of longing for something we cannot quite pinpoint.
Read moreIn Defense of Amy Coney Barrett
As originally intended by the Founding Fathers, the Supreme Court was supposed to be weaker than both Congress and the Presidency. Alexander Hamilton said that the judicial branch “will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution; because it will be least in a capacity to annoy or injure them.” If this statement still held true today, the rhetoric and controversy surrounding Supreme Court nominations would not be so inflamed.
Read moreCare for the Vulnerable during COVID-19: A Case Study from Sweden
Sweden was spotlighted earlier during the pandemic for choosing not to enforce lockdowns this spring and instead trusting its citizens to follow public health protocol when in public. Sweden is once again in the news for its approach to care for its elderly who are sick with COVID-19.
Read moreWhat Does it Mean to be White?
On October 7, I attended my first Conversation about Culture and Race where the question “What does it mean to be White?” was the center of the discussion. This may make it sound like I am doing a review on the new Conversations about Culture and Race that the Multicultural Group is hosting this year, but I am not. Rather, my hope here is to express some of my thoughts on this topic.
Read moreBarbeque - Sauce or Activity?
Three weeks ago, our Christian Mind class covered the topic of language. Somehow, as we were talking about it, the conversation turned to dialects of English, with Dr. Green pointing out that we all speak different dialects. I was amazed when, in the next few minutes, the room came alive with students sharing their different types of speech and the words they grew up with. There were Western, Southern, Eastern, and my own Northern dialects.
Read moreComing Back
My first impression of college during COVID-19 was not a good one—I suffer from “sweat-staches,” and masks don’t really make that problem go away—but as I scaled Lookout Mountain to return to campus on the first day of classes, I was home.
Read moreBillboard Evangelism
Most everyone who has spent some time in the United States is familiar with the Christian advertising adorning our roadsides and street corners. “Turn to Jesus,” one may find at a bend in the road. “Jesus offers PEACE, HOPE, REST!” says another, and. “After you die, you will meet God.” Then, there are some of the more extreme examples: “turn or burn,” “lust drags you down to hell,” and “every knee will bow, even the Democrats.” What should we as Christians make of these signs?
Read moreCombating Racism in America
In 1960, the anti-racism protests had a clear vision. They demanded that the racist policies of segregation be eradicated, and that voting rights were protected for minorities. A system of boycotts and peaceful demonstrations effectively brought about the abolition of segregation and the prohibition of withholding voter rights based on ethnicity. These actions, supported by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., were effective because of their tactics of peace.
Read moreLoving thy neighbor when everything has changed
There’s something about monumental moments that reveals us. When our whole lives are thrown off kilter, the pressure exposes what really lies under the customs and conventions that guide us through our daily routines. I’ve learned a lot about myself during this pandemic. Perhaps more than anything, it has revealed how quickly I pass judgment on other people. I judge people for being too careful or not careful enough, for avoiding any contact with the world or for gathering in groups, for constantly monitoring case counts or for ignoring dramatic spikes.
Read morePrevent a Twindemic: Get a Vaccine
Getting a flu vaccine is also a practical way to love your neighbor, and especially the most vulnerable, which is inescapably in line with Jesus’ model to love the “least of these.” Vaccinating is a means of protecting your neighbor from the flu virus. If vaccinated, you have a lower likelihood of getting the flu and, thus, passing the flu to someone else. This reasoning informs collective protection of individuals who cannot get the flu vaccine, such as very young children.
How the Bible Should Influence Our Conversations
Can you truly love someone who holds different political beliefs than you? Can you engage in healthy conversation with a brother in Christ, even if he is on the “wrong side of history”? We live in a world of disagreement and hate. Our generation thrives off of controversy. We constantly condemn and call each other out on social media instead of engaging in honest discussions.
God Is With Us through COVID-19
It’s safe to say that 2020 has not gone exactly how any of us had planned. Seniors couldn’t have the graduations they hoped for. People lost jobs. School went online and maybe worst of all was the fact that people all over the world were affected by this horrible, deadly virus.
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