December 21, 1999, and I’m upstairs in my office working on a book about joy. Already it’s dark out and snow thick as a test pattern flows past the window.
Luke, Linus, & Schulz: A Felicitous Trinity
I’m sure you all know the TV show “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” probably the best-loved Christmas special ever produced.
The Great God Contest: A Christmas Parable
One day all the gods got together to see who could come up with the best plan to save the world.
Being Human: Abortion & the Church
As we approach Christmas, with its celebration of the most important of all births, it seems appropriate also to celebrate all mothers and the birth of all children, indeed the astounding miracle of birth itself.
The Art of Conversation: How to Handle Big Talkers
Reflecting on all the many things I’m thankful for, near the top of the list is gratitude that all of my close family members are adept at the art of conversation.
Art & Sanctity: Is Van Gogh a Saint?
Orbis Books has a series entitled “Modern Spiritual Masters.” When they proposed a volume on Vincent Van Gogh, the English publisher of the artist’s letters expressed incredulity that such a person should be considered a “spiritual master.”Continue reading
Playing Whack-a-Mole with Garbage Cans, or: How to Complicate the Gospel
The gospel is basically a very simple transaction: Jesus asks me to believe in Him, and in exchange He forgives all my sin and fills me with His Holy Spirit.
In Praise of Just Sitting: The Door to Prayer
I recently did an interview on the subject of my new book, Same Old, Same New: The Consolation of the Ordinary.
The Good Samaritan: An Imagined Backstory
Every year at Passover the boy Jesus and His family made the trek to Jerusalem to observe the festival. The gospel of Luke records a famous account of one of these trips, when Jesus was twelve and held the elders in the Temple spellbound with His wisdom.
One of Us: A New Instant Classic!
David Gregory, who wrote the wonderful bestseller Dinner With a Perfect Stranger, has a brand new novel called One of Us. It’s the best book I’ve read in years.