Category: Christianity

by Benjamin Bjorkman

The Rains

Sous la pluie: La mère et les enfants by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen

I want to share what happened to me a few weeks ago. Here in northern California, we’ve had an extremely wet winter; storms have been “on” more than they’ve been “off.” In an evening of respite, while expectant clouds painted the night sky, I visited the old town grocery store to fetch my daily bread. As I passed by, I noticed what appeared to be a homeless man shuffling through shopping carts by the entrance. If he was homeless, I mused, he might appreciate a meal. It was too late for the store to serve anything warm, so I fetched … Continue reading “The Rains” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

Cross-Generational Relationships

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and … Continue reading “Cross-Generational Relationships” →

by Benjamin Bjorkman

Unity: God or the Church?

Unity in the church is a very important notion, especially now. It’s the champion concept of nondenominational churches, and particularly applicable to the fragmented sects of Protestantism. Even so, I consider it one of the most misused and abused concepts in the faith. I’d like to bring one case in point to the forefront. I cannot know for certain the deepest meanings of the words of Jesus in John 17, but brash interpretations by many warrant confrontation. Jesus says in John 17:11 “[T]hat they may be one, even as we are one.” “Ah,” says the common reader, “He must be … Continue reading “Unity: God or the Church?” →

by Benjamin Bjorkman

Pruned Branches and Full Silos

The skies were smoky orange last week. That doesn’t have anything to do with today’s piece; I figured it was worth denoting. I love living in California. About a month prior, I listened to a sermon on Luke 12:13-21. While I haven’t tackled this chapter specifically, its themes echo through articles I’ve already written (“Salvation for the Wealthy,” “The Imperative of Work,” “Resolutions,” “On Haman and Pettiness”). It is perhaps my favorite passage in the New Testament, so one could imagine that I was salty that the sermon felt slightly off (albeit admittedly adequate). I’d like to take a shot … Continue reading “Pruned Branches and Full Silos” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

Usury in the Modern World

This is the final part of a three-part series in which I speak about ethical investing from a Catholic perspective (though there is a debate!) This series was prompted by an interview of Jacob Imam with Pints With Aquinas. In my first article, I addressed the question of ethical investing and how the USCCB has recommended Christians navigate the modern economy. In the second installation, I discussed the responsibility to invest. In this last piece, I break down usury and why (most) modern investing would not fall into this category. When discussion of investing arises in Catholic (and other circles), … Continue reading “Usury in the Modern World” →

by Joseph Gnehm

1 Corinthians 13 interpreted

1 “If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good. 4 Love is patient, love is kind, … Continue reading “1 Corinthians 13 interpreted” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

A Response to Jacob Imam

This article series will be a three-part series in which I wish to speak about ethical investing from a Catholic perspective (though there is a debate!) This series was prompted by an interview that Jacob Imam had with Pints with Aquinas. In this article, I will address the question of ethical investing and how the USCCB has recommended Christians navigate the modern economy. In my next piece, I will discuss the responsibility to invest. In my third piece I will break down usury and why (most) modern investing would not fall into this category. I want to first acknowledge what … Continue reading “A Response to Jacob Imam” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

Life Isn’t Fair, and That Is a Good Thing!

Throughout history, when injustice strikes, the oft-made complaint by many people, in our nation as well as any other, is the powerful outcry, “this isn’t fair.” So strong is this invocation for justice that political movements grow and flourish when injustice occurs. Yet, whether politically or personally, these crusades for justice often find themselves causing injustice that spawns a crusade against the initial victim!  At this point, I should make clear that justice in the above sense is not actually justice but the desire that everything be split evenly. In a world void of love and evil, splitting things “fairly” … Continue reading “Life Isn’t Fair, and That Is a Good Thing!” →

by Joshua Burns

“What is This Babbler Trying to Say?”

Introduction Let me give you some dry theory—of the “analytic philosophy of language” variety—and then do something with it. I will be brief with the theory. If you find the philosophy tiresome, feel free to skip the next section; the doing that I do, I think, will be able to make do without it. To keep the reader on the hook: the “doing” in question is an explanation of why many college ministries, even those run by godly and well-intentioned Christians, are inherently self-undermining. Theory In his seminal work How to Do Things With Words, J. L. Austin divides a … Continue reading ““What is This Babbler Trying to Say?”” →