Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.
Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.
The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

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Give thanks for St. Michael and the angels who fight for you.
Are you tempted to say with the father in Mark 9, today or any day, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief"?
What a small thing in the big picture to give his head for the Head of the Church who would give his life for John and all sinners.
The Good Shepherd doesn’t leave the sheep to fend for themselves.
Paul knew that, without the resurrection, the Christian life was a “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video.
Heaven is yours now.
The relationship with God through Christ and renewal in his image in Christ cannot be taken away or compromised through suffering.
Sin is a heavy thing to bear. Its jacket is shame, its medals are guilt.
The church is called to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. Where is that message found? In every blade of grass, on every page of Scripture.
He declared you what you might not always feel you are, but what you were from the moment he knew you, before you were you, when he foreknew you.
Sometimes, we get prayer dementia. We can’t remember what we were going to pray for, we can’t put the words together, and, frustrated, there is nothing we can do but sigh and groan.
At the Transfiguration, we say farewell to alleluia and hello to the horrific reality of our lost condition.