The language of “purity” looms large within certain Christian discourses in the US. But what is “purity”? What are the religious, cultural, and religious implications

Many have had someone tell them, or grew up hearing, that we all have a “God-shaped hole” in our souls or hearts, and that only

Many conservative Christians describe their “faith” as giving “purpose” or “meaning” to their life. What do they mean by this? And why does it does

Christians of all kinds and traditions talk about “grace.” But what is “grace”? And if it’s a message of God’s radical acceptance of human beings,

If the notion that “God helps those who help themselves” isn’t in the Bible, why does it still figure so prominently in the experience of

We’ve all heard the rhetoric about the so-called “war on Christmas.” But why, exactly, do some Christians talk this way? Why do they get so

We’ve likely all heard someone tell us to “remember the reason for the season.” But what exactly does that mean? What are Christians doing when

Who “owns” Christmas? When Christians tell non-Christians that they need to “remember the reason for the season,” or accuse them of engaging in a “war

“Count it all Joy” Why do Christians sometimes tell people they should feel “joy” when they experience difficult times? What can that possibly mean? Is

We often hear Christians, cultural conservatives, and conservative politicians appeal to the family, and particularly the need for children to have families. Why do they

Is the slogan, “stand for the flag, kneel for the cross” a harmless expression of the conviction that good Christians can also be good citizens?

One of the most central commands given by Jesus of Nazareth in the Bible is to “love your enemies.” But if this is true, why