by Dale T. Irvin

Christian initiation in the first centuries came through baptism, which was understood to be through water or by blood. Both were understood to be means by which the Spirit worked, for incorporation into the life of the church and the filling of the Spirit could not be separated. All Christian baptism was understood to be baptism of the spirit. To be incorporated into the community was to be given life, to come alive, to have Spirit.

by Mark Hamilton

What is the difference between a church and an airport? The question seemed less off-the-wall to me than it might as I waited in an odd corner of the Frankfurt International Airport for my plane to Zagreb. Tired, stiff, with swollen feet and stupefied mind, I felt like the alien I was….

by Keith A. Russell

The focus of this issue is on home. The question of what is home is explored from a variety of perspectives.

by Dale T. Irvin, Ph.D.

There is something inherently urban about Christian life and something inherently Christian about urban life.

by Dr. Edward L. Hunt

This sermon was preached by Dr. Edward L. Hunt on the occasion of the graduation ceremonies of New York Theological Seminary on May 16, 2009, at the Riverside Church in New York City. Dr. Hunt, a Baptist minister, is Professor of Pastoral Care and Director of the Prison Program at New York Theological Seminary.

By Dr. Marian Ronan

“The Woman at the Well” (John 4: 1-30, 39-42) is a well known and influential New Testament text, where, as a result of the ensuing conversation at the well, Jesus becomes the Messiah of the Samaritan people, and the woman becomes his messenger to those same people. But this is not the way many Christians understand John 4.

By Rev. Dr. Nancy H. Bloomer

Preaching about the environment is a challenge many of us in the church have shied away from. The church’s attention seems to be on other matters; and yet, we need to wake people up so that we can heal the earth and heal ourselves.

By William O’Brien

The question of prayer – what is it, what does it mean, how do we do it – has been grist for the theological and spiritual mill for centuries, resulting in a dizzying array of ideas, forms, and practices. Whether it’s the contemplation of the hermit in the desert or the raucous and rowdy tent revival, Christian prayer has taken an astonishing variety of expressions, from the sublime to the suspect, from the majestic to the manipulative.

By Dr. Akintunde Akinade

CREATION continues to be a paramount theme in Christian theology. The wanton ecological decadence that pervades the whole inhabited earth has given theologians and other scholars the impetus to reflect creatively on how human beings can be more compassionate and less intemperate in their relationship with nature. This article reflects on what African culture and world view can contribute to this important subject.

By Sister Dianne Bergant

Everyone needs to belong to some group. In fact, it is really impossible not to belong. We are born into a family, a cultural group, a nation. No one is a true island. Our entire identity is determined by our natural ties with others and the social ties that we fashion throughout our lives.

By Rabbi Sarah H. Reines

Living as a people without a land is an aberration of world history. Yet, homelessness is also symbolic of the human condition. The Torah begins with an illustration of this universal experience. The origin of humanity is Eden, a womb-like paradise both nourishing and limiting. Forced out, humans are born into independent living. Breathing free, yet yearning for the comfort of security, we seek out belonging in a vast world.

by Rev.Paul Bryant-Smith

We need preachers who can take the text from Isaiah and really preach that God sent us “to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God.”