The Pimps and the Prostitutes Are Closer to Heaven Than We Are
Immanuel Kant was arguably the leading architect of the Enlightenment. He was raised in a pietistic family that embraced devotion to God, Scripture, …
Grace, Morality, and Moralism
Why Can’t We Admit Hidden Evils?
Several months ago, a woman admitted to me some secrets about her inner life. She is beginning to acknowledge her past and present sinfulness. [Click …
Why Do Our Children Leave Christianity?
Why do so many people—with incredible conversions—parent children who leave Christianity? History overflows with great saints whose offspring lose …
The Cowardice of Christian Niceness
Many years ago, a young man was transferred to my department. During his first annual review with me, he asked why his raises had been consistently …
Dishonest Faith
Last September I shared about being diagnosed with kidney cancer. I waited more than a month before posting, mostly to avoid anyone’s pity. (Come on, …
Forgiving Betrayers
A couple of years ago, I shared a story of betrayal. I ended the article with a faint desire to forgive. But wanting to forgive doesn’t doesn’t …
We Buried the Hatchet
Twenty-five years ago, my wife and I moved into a lovely farmhouse in the country. But in our hunt for that house, we made huge blunders in …
Unpleasant Grace
One evening years ago, I babysat my three sons, which meant I read a book upstairs as they wrestled each other downstairs. A shriek rang out and I …
Is Sunday School Destroying Our Kids?
Several years ago I met with a woman distraught over her son’s rejection of Christianity. She said, “I did everything I could to raise him right. I …
What Can Westboro Baptist Teach Us About Grace?
I once talked with a group of college students, and one of them asked, “How do you explain Westboro Baptist? I can’t stand Christianity because of …
Was Esther An Unwilling Sex Slave Or A Compliant Collaborator?
I question our practice of painting biblical heroes more heroically than the Bible does. Hiding the faults of our heroes robs us of grace. That’s why …
Why Can’t We Admit The Evil Within?
A few months ago a woman told me about her inner life. She said she is growing in a sense of her own sinfulness: Her thought life, she admitted, is …