The writers of the Century

I write to you from San Antonio, at our magazine’s booth at AAR/SBL (the annual meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature). Here is the part of our team that made the trip to Texas:

L to R: me, associate editor Jessica Mesman, audience development editor Trice Gibbons, and senior editor Elizabeth Palmer

I got the chance to meet many Christian Century writers. I don’t want to play favorites or leave anyone out, so I will just focus on our Voices columnists we got the chance to connect with this past weekend. We had delightful chats with theology professor Brian Bantum, divinity school dean Yolanda Pierce, and ethics professor Jonathan Tran. From what I can tell, they are not only great columnists, but outstanding scholars and lovely human beings. We are grateful they are such an important part of our magazine.

Another of our Voices columnists, pastor and hip-hop artist Julian DeShazier, appears in our new video of the week. We chat about some similarities between church rituals and prison rituals. Plus scroll down for more great content, like Philip Jenkins’s essay on theatrical drama in church history and a book review about the anthropology and theology of menstruation.

Email me: Have you ever met an author or artist whose work was important to you?

Jon Mathieu
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“We study the familiar theological debates of the great church councils, but we sometimes miss the groveling mass declarations of loyalty to the emperors—and especially the ritualized dialogues by which several hundred prelates supposedly greet the proclamation of some new declaration of orthodoxy. If it all sounds stagy and overacted, that is because it is.”

Getting lost and being found

“The maps I have drawn and the five-year plans I have devised rarely get me to the right place.”

VIDEO: Julian DeShazier on timelessness in prisons—and churches

Voices columnist Julian DeShazier chats with Jon about how a high school graduation ceremony in a prison felt like a church service.

In the Lectionary for November 26 (Reign of Christ A)

Do we understand how our actions may shape the fate of a neighbor?

Power in the blood

“Despite the fact that at least 55 percent of Protestants experience periods at some point in their lives, and despite the fact that we are forever preaching and singing about the power of the life-giving blood of Jesus, somehow the topic of menstruation never came up in theology or pastoral care courses.”

David Black reviews Kate Clancy

Hoverflies

“November grins her best impression
of September—warm enough to swim!—
except her light at noon is long . . .”

poem by Josh Dugat