Category Archives: Faith

Ascension Day

I was glad this morning to read the Daily Office reading of Daniel 7:9-14 (ESV). 9 “As I looked, thrones were placed,     and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow,     and the hair of his … Continue reading

Posted in Faith, Scripture | Leave a comment

Nouwen and the First Question

For a number of years I have been convinced that one of the best things that I can do as a teacher is to ask good questions.  Question-asking has been particularly fruitful with upperclassmen, as it allows for a more … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End, Teaching | Tagged | Leave a comment

Triangulating for Spiritual Direction

Before beginning the main discussion in Spiritual Direction, Henri Nouwen points to three different points of connection, spiritual disciplines, that are necessary for a healthy approach to a wisdom that can help us “to slow down and order our time, … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End, Scripture | Tagged | Leave a comment

Nouwen and a Long Obedience with No Direction

In yesterday’s post I asked a question that twisted the popular 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 passage a bit: what if the changes effected in contemporary culture have led us to feeling more renewed in body but more diminished, even damaged, in … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End, Scripture | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Different Wasting Away

Long before I knew him as the author of Old School, one of my favorite novels, Tobias Wolff was the author of one of my favorite quotes: we are made to persist– that’s how we find out who we are. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End | Leave a comment

Provision

One of the reasons I am drawn to a consideration of moving “from one world to the next” is because I spend a good deal of time talking with students who are making their own transition from one world to … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End | Leave a comment

Celibacy and the Reversed Revolution

More often than not, Ross Douthat’s New York Times columns serve as Rorschach tests for contemporary political and social issues.  Today’s column, “The Redistribution of Sex,” has proved especially thought-provoking and line-drawing.  And rightly so.  You can read it here. … Continue reading

Posted in Faith, Internet, Notes for a World's End | Tagged | 1 Comment

Limitless, Prodigal, and Dispersed

One does not have to read far into an essay written by Wendell Berry to sense deep loss, a kind of sadness that both tugs and pulls.  As he acknowledges in his introduction to his most recent collection of writings, … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End | Tagged | Leave a comment

Notes for a World’s End

At the begin of Paul Auster’s apocalyptic In the Country of Last Things, the narrator makes a significant observation: That is perhaps the greatest problem of all.  Life as we know it has ended, and yet no one is able to … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Notes for a World's End | Leave a comment

9 Minutes of “40”

Sunday night at church we sang Psalm 40.  It was a nice rendition of the song and all, but I couldn’t help but think that maybe we could’ve sung U2’s (shortened) version of the Old Testament song of waiting and … Continue reading

Posted in Faith, Music, Scripture | Tagged | Leave a comment