Social media didn’t make American society stupid. But the rise of narrow information silos most certainly has. — Peak into my bedroom on a Sunday evening sometime circa 1985, you would have seen me working on homework, probably geometry that was due the next day. But I wasn’t just doing homework; no I was also listening to the radio and I wasn’t just listening to the radio, I…

Understanding a misunderstood Protestant tradition. — What comes to mind when I use the word piety or pious? I’m guessing you are thinking of a person who is outwardly religious and believes they are better than anyone else around them. For people of a certain age, it might be Dana Carvey’s Church Lady. …

We can travel on planes and trains without wearing masks. It’s a scary but necessary step in the world of COVID. — Last fall, I took a plane for the first time since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020. My husband I and were flying from Minneapolis to Reagan National in DC to attend a wedding. Traveling by plane meant we had to wear masks in the airport and on the…

Musings on the sacking of two well-known chains. — The following is a series of stories on the downfall of Sears and Kmart. To read past stories and listen to podcasts, please go here and here. This is a coda for those of you following the “Who Killed Sears and Kmart?” series. Instead of an essay, this is more…

Can more progressive faith traditions start new faith communities? — On Easter Sunday a congregation in south Minneapolis will hold its last worship service after 105 years. This closing has a lot of meaning for me because it was the church that I interned at when I was in seminary. Mainline Protestant churches seem to be closing at a faster…

Does Mainline Protestantism care about the local church? — The following is adapted from an article I wrote in 2012. I’ve been what could be considered a Mainline Protestant for 30 years. In those 30 years, I’ve learned something about mainliners: We really suck at planting churches. Let me back up a moment. I started attending Calvary Baptist Church…

It’s important for companies to make a profit, but it’s also important for companies to be good stewards. — The following is a series of stories on the downfall of Sears and Kmart. To read past stories and listen to podcasts, please go here and here. It’s June 21, 1964 in Columbus, Indiana. J. Irwin Miller, the CEO of Cummins Engine gave a speech at the dedication ceremony for…

A reflection on living and loving in this new atomic age. — The following is adapted from a sermon given on March 20, 2022. January 13, 2018, was like any other Saturday morning. A Saturday morning in Hawaii probably included going to breakfast or walking down the beach and enjoying the ocean waves. Or maybe people were taking the opportunity to sleep…

What happens when Church and State work in concert. — Note: The following is the transcript for a podcast episode from En Route. You can listen to the podcast here or use the link to Spotify below. It’s February 21, 2022. Nearly 200,000 Russian soldiers sit at three sides of the Russian border with Ukraine. In three days, missiles…