Sex and Saints

[Christianity Today, April 3, 2000]

What do you think about homosexuality? Why do you think it?

Whatever your answer, you’re probably in there: “What Christians Think about Homosexuality: Six Representative Viewpoints.” In his book, Larry Holben presents six different ways that Christians look at the homosexual condition, and critiques each from the point of view of the others. It’s the perfect volume for people trying to understand what others believe.

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Forgiveness Vespers

Updated on Saturday, March 23, 2002 by Frederica

[Beliefnet, March 20, 2000]

On Sunday night I am going to have to apologize to someone. I am going to have to apologize to about a hundred people, in fact--one at a time, face to face. I'm looking forward to it.

For Orthodox Christians, Lent begins differently than it does for Protestants and Catholics. The observance of Ash Wednesday is dramatic and beautiful, but is not in the Eastern tradition. For us, Lent comes in gradually over a period of weeks, like a cello line subtly weaving itself into our lives.

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Ned Flanders, My Hero

[Beliefnet, February 10, 2000]

News is that that dreamboat, Ned Flanders, is going to be a-v-a-i-l-a-b-l-e. Why are hearts fluttering and knees weak? Take another look at our man Ned: he’s got more than his share of gal appeal. He’s decked out in an impeccable suit of virtues.

I’m on the level here. OK, get past the adenoidal voice. Get past the round goggle-glasses. Get past the annoying chirpiness. Wait, go back to the annoying chirpiness.

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Do We Need Church?

[Crosswalk, January 28, 2000]

Q. What would you say to a Bible‑believing Christian who "doesn't believe in organized religion"? A friend recently wrote to me: "God loves the Church (as in the body of true believers), but He can reveal anything to any person at any time.

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Found Object: Snow-covered Tree

[Crosswalk, January 28, 2000]

My mother-in-law' s phone call woke us up.  "Hello?"  my husband said, groggily. I could hear her voice piping, five hundred miles away: "It snowed last night! Two inches!"

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More than Suffering

[Crosswalk, January 24, 2000] 

Q. My friend Mike was trying to explain Christian faith to me over dinner one night, and he said something I could understand. He said to look at the Son of God, unjustly strung up like a criminal.

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Found Object: Body

[Crosswalk, January 2000] 

Here we are. Over the doorstep and into a dazzling new millennium, fraught with magnificence and fear, and perhaps with consequence -- hard to tell at this point. At any rate, we feel pretty dazzled and quite self-important. We’re alive *now*! What an achievement! What did we win?

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Chasing Amy

[Christianity Today, January 2000]  

Amy Tracy prepared to die.

She had linked her arms through those of fellow pro-choice activists as they surrounded a van stopped outside an abortion clinic. Inside the van were women in the second trimester of pregnancy

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God as Suffering Parent

[Beliefnet, December 22, 1999]

 

* Selected for Best Christian Writing 2000 *

 

On a cold day in December a mother gave birth to a baby boy. Seventeen years later he sat in her kitchen with a towel around his neck while she trimmed his hair. When a boy reaches a certain age he doesn't like his mother to touch him any more. This is as close as she's likely to get, circling him, nipping behind his pink ears with scissors.

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Time Out

[Christianity Today, October 25, 1999]

My daughter gave me a round clock for my birthday. It has a round white dial like a full moon, dashed with tapering black hands. Black Roman numerals swing around the circumference of the disk and at the bottom stand serenely on their heads. Each snap of the second hand is accompanied by a tick.

I haven't had a round clock for a long time. Megan told me this was for my desk, so I put it at the back, just under the window. It joins three square clocks already in residence: one on the far edge facing the sofa, one on top of the computer monitor, and a tiny one in a corner of the monitor screen. When I sit at my desk I am relentlessly aware of what time it is. These three square clocks, with their segmented black numerals, flash time that looks impressively specific. However, they habitually disagree with each other, reminding me that specific is not the same as accurate. Right now I have my choice of 12:31, 12:32, or 12:33. Make that 12:34.

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