Love does win, but not the kind of love that Bell talks about in this book. The love he describes is one that is founded solely on the idea that the primary object of God’s love is man; indeed, the whole story, he writes, can be summed up in these words: “For God so loved... Continue Reading

Pop Quiz: Which conservative icon is responsible for the following quotes? “There’s only one bad word: Taxes.” “My dream is to have the parks system privatized and run entirely for profit.” Rush Limbaugh? Glenn Beck? Sean Hannity? Nope. They come from Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), director of the City of Pawnee, Ind.’s Parks and Recreation... Continue Reading

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The King James Bible has shaped the English language, inspired political and religious thought for generations and, arguably, changed the world. The story behind the King James Bible has been told before. And several new books this year will aim to tell it again. British... Continue Reading

‘Of Gods and Men,” in French and Arabic, is one of the most beautiful movies I know, even though its subject matter and otherwordly pace set it apart from mainstream entertainment. They set it so far apart that the film made me recall, of all things, the most beautiful rendition I know of “I Got... Continue Reading

What I really appreciate about Giano’s music is that, as a Latino, he has ability to reach a wide audience with an amazing mix, at times, of English and Spanish lyrics and he raps about the intersection of the gospel and real life. I was so impressed by this mix that I wanted to know... Continue Reading

God makes appearances in a number of Oscar-nominated films, but the Almighty doesn’t play a leading role on screen or preach a theologically orthodox message from the clouds. Rather, spirituality plays a supporting role in those films that either focus on characters’ quest for redemption or provide a fresh take on the eternal battle between... Continue Reading

Part One is largely occupied with tendencies prominent within the New Perspective on Paul as well as on the Judaism of his day—tendencies that, on the one hand, accent continuity between Paul and that Judaism to the point of obscuring crucial differences, and on the other hand, stress discontinuity between Paul’s teaching on justification and... Continue Reading

How much power exactly do the agents of fate hold over someone’s life? Can free will ever win over fate? And is it free will or fate that orchestrates action? Such are the questions that come to mind throughout George Nolfi’s newest film, “The Adjustment Bureau,” based on the short story by Phillip K. Dick.... Continue Reading

The hip-hop mogul Diddy, for example, has been in and out of courtrooms over the years, facing charges for assault, gun possession and bribery—yet he continually bounces back with a new name and a new career. When I asked him if he ever felt fear, he replied, “My faith is in God. Like, look who... Continue Reading

Brother and sister duo BeBe and CeCe Winans took home two Grammy awards on Sunday, adding to their already wide collection of gold statues. The two won for Best Gospel Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album during the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Other winners in the Gospel category included Switchfoot, Jerry Peters and... Continue Reading