A new CC essay from Wendell Berry. Plus pieces on honest prayers, political hypocrisy, and more.

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** Violence and hypocrisy
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When possible, our magazine leads with hope. We like to think about solutions, whether it comes to public policy or church ministry. But sometimes there is no imminent solution to offer, either because we can’t think of one or because there is no discernible will to change among those with power. In times like these, with no easy answer on the horizon, it is still right to speak out against injustice. As beloved essayist Wendell Berry asks, “Can we not speak at least an audible no to the meaningless suffering?”

Berry poses this question in a brand new essay for our October issue. The article, which is long but well worth the read, focuses on Americans’ growing indifference to violence against children, whether in our own classrooms or wars overseas ([link removed]) . Below you will find another prophetic complaint: a new column from Peter Marty that unmasks J. D. Vance’s hypocrisy ([link removed]) and the damage wreaked by his anti-immigration lies.

Plus scroll down for more great new content, including a reflection on why preaching matters ([link removed]) , an exploration of how congregations respond to church decline ([link removed]) , a book review about honest prayers from seriously ill people ([link removed]) , and more.

Email me: What overlooked problem would you like to see publicly addressed?
Jon Mathieu
Click to email me (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Re%3A%20Editors%E2%80%99%20Picks)
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** Against killing children ([link removed])
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“We have become a society of people who cannot prevent our own children from being killed in their classrooms—and who do not much mind the killing of other people’s children by weapons of war.”

by Wendell Berry
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** Playing to the crowds ([link removed])
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“Springfield, Ohio, never asked for the bomb threats, neo-Nazi marches, and hate-filled memes that J. D. Vance’s shameless playacting has brought on.”

by Peter W. Marty
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** The meaning of a sermon ([link removed])
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“The gospel includes nothing less than the liberation of all creation from sin’s power to do violence to God’s goodness in us and around us.”

by Isaac Villegas
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** In the Lectionary for October 13 (Ordinary 28B) ([link removed])
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One of the most underrated spiritual gifts is perseverance.

by Clint Schnekloth

Ordinary 28B archives ([link removed])
Get even more lectionary resources with Sunday’s Coming Premium, an email newsletter from the editors of the Christian Century. Learn more ([link removed]) .


** Three responses to church decline ([link removed])
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“Ministry developments related to livestreaming should prevent us being judgmental about contemporary culture in general or technology in particular, because we’ve learned something about how to harness both for something deeper and richer.”

by Sam Wells


** Dear God, you can do better ([link removed])
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“Interspersed with the prayers are thoughtful, deeply personal, and sometimes laugh-out-loud reflections on the authors’ own experiences of anxiety, illness, frustration, depression, and—yes—hope.”

LaVonne Neff reviews Elizabeth Felicetti and Samantha Vincent-Alexander
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