It has been far too long since I last wrote on COMMONWEALTH. Today seems like a good day to return and reflect. I have often quoted the brilliant 20th-century philosopher Ferris Bueller when he said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I have shared this…

Over the development of my pastoral ministry and personal theology, there has been an increasingly narrow focus on what I believe is of utmost importance in the life of the Christian. This focus has become more and more pronounced as I grow older. My attention has settled on the reality that we need a concrete…

In Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, we see the apostle livid at how the Galatian Christians were undermining the power and message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by adding human works to the work of Christ in order to accomplish salvation. In church history, this understanding—“Jesus + human action = salvation”—has been condemned as…

Let’s remember: the Declaration of Independence famously states that all people are created equal, and that the government should protect certain inalienable rights, summed up in three words: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. I strongly believe in and celebrate the Declaration of Independence. I strongly believe and celebrate Life. I strongly believe and…

The Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12 are haunting. The great preacher and church planter bares his soul to a group of fellow Christians who faced their own struggles and concerns. In order to deepen their shared life in Christ, Paul confesses one of his great trials. We do not know precisely what Paul’s…

Each week, Christians around the world affirm their faith together by reciting the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, or other statements drawn from Scripture and tradition. Some may view these recitations as merely a mindless ritual—a way to fill time with religious words. But that is not what is happening when we…