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Essays

The Authority of the Book

…any consideration of the question of the political implications of naming certain scriptures ‘sacred’ will be severely limited if it is not attentive to sacred scriptures qua material (or digital) books.

Under New Management—Psalm 23

‘Under New Management’: The perfect way to describe people who are led by the Good Shepherd, rather than by the false shepherds of this age..

“The Right To Bear Arms” – What Kind of Right Is It, Really?

The Second Amendment should not become just one more issue of irreconcilable hyperpartisanship.  Whether one finds themselves on the political right or the political left, one should realize that the question of gun violence ultimately comes down to the health of the polis.

Resurrection at the Margins—Luke 24:36-48

Resurrection is at work among and recognized by those at the periphery long before those in the center.

Dr. King and the Life of the Question

The ironclad certainty with which accounts of King’s life, thought, and action are given itself evinces a misunderstanding of the questions that animated that life, thought, and action.

Between Nostalgia and Critical Memory

It is our critical memory that prompts us to ethical reflection on the anniversary of a grave injustice.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Advice for Living

On this, the fiftieth anniversary of King’s assassination, let us not only remember King’s life as prophetic critic but also his advice for living.

One Bringing Peace—John 20:19-31

In the first beginning, the Word gave form to that which was formless; in this new beginning, the same Word speaks a word and brings peace to men who are afraid.

A Pre-Emptive First Strike Against North Korea?: A Reply to John Bolton

Our position is that recourse to armed force can only be justified as a last resort.

The Politics of Peeing and Pooping and the Saving Power of Interdependence

The power of the redemptive corruption of interdependence is energizing a coalition of trans, queer, immigrant, and disability voices (and their allies) to transform shame, challenge exclusion, and embody the sacred with their spirited practices/politics of toilet justice.

Discovering Easter Joy—Mark 16.1-8

At Easter we should remember that anger and fear cannot win, but that joy can.