Author Archives: awtraughber

Summer Reading: Fountain of Salvation

Posted on July 10, 2025 by awtraughber

One of the books that I finished reading during my summer retreat was Fountain of Salvation by Fred Sanders.  Unlike The Deep Things of God, Sanders’s other recent book on the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, Fountain of Salvation is … Continue reading →

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Superman and What Works

Posted on July 9, 2025 by awtraughber

Thanks to my Amazon Prime membership, I had the opportunity to see an early screening of James Gunn’s new Superman movie.  It’s the movie I’ve been most excited about for some time, so I was glad to have the chance … Continue reading →

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Sunday’s Best: Valedictory Status and Writing

Posted on June 8, 2025 by awtraughber

The week was full of thoughtful, funny strips.  Over at Frazz, Jef Mallett had Caulfield thinking deep thoughts about graduation season and valedictorians.  Here‘s how it starts, and here‘s a funny reminder of the importance of critical thinking. Calvin had … Continue reading →

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In the Backpack

Posted on June 3, 2025 by awtraughber

Frederick Buechner starts The Alphabet of Grace, his theological “slice of life” book, with this wonderfully true assertion: At its heart most theology, like most fiction, is essentially autobiographical.  Aquinas, Calvin, Barth, Tillich, working out their systems in their own … Continue reading →

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To the Funny Pages!

Posted on June 2, 2025 by awtraughber

The folks over at gocomics.com recently posted one of my all-time favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips.  A little bit of optimism, a little but of realism. And speaking of realism, here’s a recent reprint Peanuts strip with Peppermint Patty’s take … Continue reading →

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AI, Two Birds, One Stone

Posted on May 31, 2025 by awtraughber

It’s unfortunate how deeply and how quickly AI has changed the landscape of teaching.  It’s easier to use and necessary to look for when interacting with student work.  And it’s something that we’re all still learning about but with hard … Continue reading →

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Anselm on Teaching, Seeking, Desiring

Posted on May 30, 2025 by awtraughber

We introduce Anselm and his version of the ontological argument for God’s existence relatively early in our junior Bible class.  Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn’t; we consider it as much because it was the first of its kind as … Continue reading →

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“The True Thing About Restaurants”

Posted on May 20, 2025 by awtraughber

Hulu just dropped the fourth-season trailer for The Bear, the show that makes your blood pressure sky-rocket just by mentioning it.  As good as it was, I felt like the show’s third season was holding back a little bit, so … Continue reading →

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Sunday’s Best: Asking, Seeking, Knocking

Posted on May 18, 2025 by awtraughber

This morning’s Gospel reading includes one of those “tricky”passages from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount about prayer.  From biblegateway.com: 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. … Continue reading →

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The Good Shepherd (and a quick word on 49)

Posted on May 15, 2025 by awtraughber

This past Sunday, many churches celebrated Mother’s Day.  Other churches also commemorated “Good Shepherd Sunday,” which is celebrated every fourth Sunday of Easter.  The key text for the day is John 10, where Jesus says: 11 “I am the good shepherd. … Continue reading →

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