Author Archives: awtraughber

Context, Contingency, and Commitment

A few days ago, a co-worker forwarded me a copy of a document that I wrote about ten years that served as a kind of “manifesto” for what I thought could and should be accomplished at work on the level … Continue reading →

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Saturday Morning Thoughts

Yesterday I posted a long lecture by Andrew Root about the shift that has changed in youth (ministry) culture over the last decade.  I’ve read a decent chunk of Root’s most recent output the last few months (3 1/2 full … Continue reading →

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The Thing and the Story

Mr. Root is onto something, I believe.

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New Year’s Hobbit

It took me a little longer than usual to get ahold of this year’s Tolkien calendar.  When I finally remembered my need to order it around Christmas time, it was nigh impossible to find.  Not at Amazon.  Not at Barnes … Continue reading →

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Gospel and Church, Mold and Platform

In his survey of failing institutions in American life, Yuval Levin writes about the church in the “close to home” section (which also includes the family and community organizations.  While he writes about the loss of authority of the Catholic … Continue reading →

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Playing our Roles Fittingly (Civics Edition)

In class I often revisit the question of “how can I play my role fittingly?” in light of the biblical story.  This is a nod to both N. T. Wright’s “five-act play” of the biblical story and Kevin Vanhoozer’s “drama … Continue reading →

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Living with Loss

Last week America posted a short reflection by James K. A. Smith about how Christians handle loss.  What begins with a nod to Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead takes a personal turn that I found difficult and brilliant.  Smith writes: A number … Continue reading →

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Jacob and the Face of God

Yesterday I mentioned the manuscript I wrote for this week’s chapel.  The topic was Jacob’s encounter with God.  The task was partly to retell the story to an audience who has a basic knowledge of the story.  Here’s a cleaned-up … Continue reading →

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Submitted for Your Approval?

I recently spoke for what will probably be “the last time” in chapel this quarter.  If the timing goes well, it could be my last time for the year.  We’ll see.  Either way, in my head I had planned on … Continue reading →

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On Friendship

Earlier this week many conservative writers mourned the loss of Roger Scruton, a British teacher and public intellectual.  His name and thinking have hovered on the edges of my interests for some time now, but I’ve not spent much time … Continue reading →

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