When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not
By Russ Lackey | Mark Mattes
01/20/26
19mins

When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not

American religion did not become optional because the gospel failed. It became optional because religion slowly redefined itself around usefulness.
Behold the Lamb
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/19/26

Behold the Lamb

The Passover wasn’t just Israel’s story; it’s ours.
Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
01/16/26

Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies

God makes us pure saints by planting us back in the earth we imagined we needed to escape.

All Articles

Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
03/17/20

Apostle of Ireland: St. Patrick's Life and Ministry

Despite the grave threat of martyrdom during his roughly thirty years of ministry, St. Patrick persevered and experienced enormous success.
Joshua Miller
Joshua Miller
03/06/20

Martin Niemöller: Controversial Confessor

On this day in 1984, Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemöller, a leader in the anti-Nazi Confessing Church, died. He left behind a controversial legacy. How should we regard him today, thirty-six years after his death? Was he a hero? Was he a villain?
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
02/25/20

The Suicide Prophet

Sometimes we have to strain hard to hear words deeper than our hearts. Words not from inside, but outside. Words from God, not our own self-spun narratives.
Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
02/21/20

Remembering Anselm of Canterbury

Though not without his faults, Anselm of Canterbury is unquestionably one of the great theologians of the last millennium.
Pete Lange
Pete Lange
02/18/20

The Pilgrim's Promise

Ultimately the Christian life isn't about progress, it's about promise--the Pilgrim's Promise.
Dan van Voorhis
Dan van Voorhis
02/14/20

Redeeming St. Valentine

How did we get love and romance associated with Valentine and his likely mid-February death?
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
02/11/20

Weaponizing Our Virtues

Virtue, like all good things, can easily be weaponized. And not only can, but constantly is. Indeed, I would argue that, for churchgoing, rule-following, tradition-honoring, morality-applauding people, virtue often becomes the cancer that we deem a badge of honor.
David Rufner
David Rufner
02/05/20

An American Myth Meets the Gospel of Jesus

This is our frontier religion: God is waiting to shower blessings upon us if only we will unlock those blessings with the right kind of works, and a sufficient quantity of the same.
1517 Staff
1517 Staff
02/03/20

Q&A for Faithless to Fearless

Neither the disciples nor Paul expected a resurrected Messiah, so something has to account for their dramatic transition from faithless to fearless in the days/years following Jesus’ crucifixion.
Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
01/27/20

Pelagius and Pelagianism

Pelagius maintained an orthodox appearance while rejecting original sin and the distinction between law and gospel.
Craig Donofrio
Craig Donofrio
01/22/20

Let Us Sing Our Faith

We sing, and in so doing, we are blessed as we are instilled with the word of God in word and song.
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
01/03/20

Saint Dolly Parton

In the midst of the Word of God being spoken, she felt for the first time God had revealed Himself to her, not as the terrifying judge she feared, but as the loving and tender father He is.
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