December (Web-only) 2014

Evil Is a True Thing
This year, the stories we told ourselves often explored the origins of evil, with surprising answers.

Readers’ Top 26 Questions of 2014
If we really wanted pageviews, we’d do a story on whether Jesus rescued animals from hell.

He Said, She Said
Memory and its link to justice were a hot topic for 2014's pop culture.

Making Room For Those With None
We all know there was no room for Christ at the inn. But is it the same in our own lives? A guest post by Sherry Woods

Our Top Posts of 2014: Mark Driscoll, Conscious Uncoupling, and More
Readers and writers pick the best of Her.meneutics.

How Wish Lists Affect Our Gift-Giving
Accepting gifts, the ones we asked for and the ones that surprise us, ultimately points us to the Giver.

When Merry Christmas Doesn't Come Easy
In Christ, we get to celebrate even in our sorrow.

Jesus and 'Jingle Bell Rock'
I’ve learned that there’s no dividing line between ‘American Christmas’ and ‘Christian Christmas.’

A Church that Hears Us
When women cry for peace, we can at least be the ones to listen.

Ambition: Why It Isn’t Just for Men (or Business)
An excerpt from ‘The Measure of Success: Uncovering the Biblical Perspective on Women, Work, and the Home’.

Latina, Pentecostal, and College-Bound
How the church stands to benefit from rising educational attainment.

The Best Books to Read This Christmas (That You Won't Find in a Christian Bookstore)
Sarah Arthur recommends 10 under-the-radar titles.

Always Advent and Never Christmas?
Getting serious about the season of preparation? Don’t skimp on the celebration.

Overcoming Cynicism, Even After You’ve Seen How the Sausage Is Made
An excerpt from ‘Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good.'

St. Nick, Patron of Pawn Shops
The little-known history of Christianity’s icon of generosity.

Please Stop Asking 'But What About...?'
True sympathy is wonderful. Playing one form of suffering against another is not.

What’s the Truth Behind Serial? Only God Knows
Inconclusive storytelling stirs our longing for justice.

Can Our Art Deal With Our World?
There's more of it than ever before, and part of the problem is ours.

The Church Is Slime (in a Good Way!)
An excerpt from ‘The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community.’

Bringing True Joy to the World
How we can avoid over-sentimentalizing the holidays.

Christian Colleges vs. Hookup Culture
The good intentions behind conservative campus rules.

The Dangers of Door-to-Door Evangelism
Why winning people for Christ needs something better than a polished sales pitch.

Why Torture Is a Complete Failure
Former war crimes prosecutor: Legally, morally, and practically, ‘enhanced interrogation’ does not work.

Our Own Kind of Time
Entering Advent and getting caught up in the church calendar.

Holiday Traditions, Under Construction
Why our shifting families and evolving rituals can still be cause for celebration.

Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton on Reading the Bible, Making a Modern 'Exodus'
The actors talked with CT about the new epic film.

How To Be A Christlike Ally
Many of us want to be allies to our African American brothers and sisters but don't know how. The incarnation of Jesus shows us the way.

Playing God on Paper
How composing 50,000 words of fiction deepened my appreciation for the Great Author.

Moses at the Movies
When we trace more than a century of movies about the Exodus, what do we learn?

Kay Warren: Stop Sending Cheery Christmas Cards
When you don't mention our son's tragic death, it only hurts more.

The One Thing to Tell Pregnant Moms: ‘Congratulations’
No family too big, no mom too young to hear our affirmation of life.

A Lesson from Rape Stories: We Don’t Get What We Deserve
It’s time to recognize that our world isn’t fair. And do something about it.

Evangelical Sex Talk Is About Much More Than Sex
Our views on life inside the bedroom can shape our approach to life outside the bedroom.

The News Roundup: More James Bond, A ‘Turtles’ Sequel, and ‘Frozen’ Fever
Plus awards, pilots, a ‘Walking Dead’ spinoff, and more.

The Critics Roundup: ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ and ‘The Homesman’
A new Western and a bunch of wacky birds.

The Streaming Roundup: ‘Goldfinger,’ ‘Son of God,’ and ‘Stuart Little 2’
Plus ‘American Beauty’ and ‘A Knight’s Tale.’

Ferguson, Church, and Continuing the Conversation
How can we continue the conversation on race in every season? A guest post by Rich Villodas

Common Ground for Christians and Common Core
A teacher’s perspective on how higher standards serve poor students.

A United Evangelical Response: The System Failed Eric Garner
What pastors, professors, and others are saying about the grand jury's decision not to indict.

What One Racially Divided Family Can Do
Two small steps that may start to address the black/white divide in the church.

Why the Ebola Crisis Needs a More Biblical Response
Ministry leaders empower West African Christians to do what no government or hospital can do.

The Cosby Show Dilemma
When fictional dads and happy endings get tangled in real-life scandal.

Defending the Workplace Baby Bump
Pro-life and pro-choice groups unite as the Supreme Court considers pregnancy discrimination.

Body Talk: Beyond the Tween Abstinence Lecture
Media shapes how youth see their bodies. What can the church teach them instead?

Balancing Ministry and Family
3 strategies for resisting family burnout and building a missional purpose together

Stepping into 'The Red Tent'
The Lifetime adaptation of Anita Diamant’s novel about Dinah departs radically from the Bible - and that may be a good thing.

Why We Don’t Need a Mrs. Jesus
Christian faith offers a fuller notion of God and gender than sensationalized stories.

Study: Young, Nonreligious Women Give More than Christians
The female dollar and the changing landscape for charitable donations.