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Essays

Thoughtful personal reflections from a variety of perspectives about issues relevant to Christian leaders

Gretchen E. Ziegenhals: Three Christmas gifts

How do you live out your Christian values during the holiday buying frenzy? For one family, the practice of limiting gift giving to three presents has brought a needed discipline to Christmas.

By Gretchen E. Ziegenhals Spiritual director and retreat leader

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Charlene Brown: Impatiently waiting

The search for a church committed to racial reconciliation didn’t go quickly. But the waiting for it, like the waiting of Advent, was a time to learn to love God and neighbor and find miracles in small and surprising places.

By Charlene Brown

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Marilyn McCord Adams: Kneading light into clay

As Christmas reminds us, God has been mixing it up with matter from the beginning, and our calling is not to liberate light but to embody it, to work alongside God to knead light into clay, says the philosopher and theologian.

By Marilyn McCord Adams Philosophy professor

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James Howell: Unsettling prayer

By James Howell Senior pastor, Myers Park UMC

Prayer alters perceptions about the world and the signs of God’s life in it.

Rhonda Mawhood Lee: El Caganer's message

The Catalan nativity tradition of El Caganer -- politely translated as “The Pooper” -- reminds us that God loves us in all our messiness. For a former vicar of an urban church, a real-life reminder of this messiness was also a call to work with the homeless.

By Rhonda Mawhood Lee Priest, spiritual director and writer

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Melissa Wiginton: Making change happen

By Melissa Wiginton Vice president, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

You don’t need to be an innovation guru like Steve Jobs to lead the church in times of social and institutional change.

Jason Byassee: With Appalachian pride

By Jason Byassee Senior minister, Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, Toronto

What Christian leaders can learn from a small university in the North Carolina mountains.

Will Willimon: Ayn Rand and Christmas

By Will Willimon Professor of the practice of Christian ministry

Ayn Rand is lying. Christmas shows why.

David Ostendorf: The crescent at the crossroads

By David Ostendorf

As settlement of the African Muslim diaspora in the United States continues, Christian leaders should step boldly into this change to create community with Muslim newcomers.

It can't be a lie

The HBO series "The Wire" is cynical about institutions, yet it offers an important perspective on what it means to commit to the causes and institutions we love.

By Wesley Hill Assistant professor, Trinity School for Ministry

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