Table Of Contents
December 2014
Volume 58, Number 10
December
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About The Archives
The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.
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Cover Story

Pop Francis: Why Everyone Loves the Pope
From secular journalists to charismatic Christians, millions are taken with the Jesuit from Argentina.

Features

Michael Lindsay on Covenant and Conflict at Gordon College
The college's president says the issues on campus go deeper than 'homosexual practice.'
God’s Defense Attorney
Millionaire lawyer Mark Lanier moonlights as a Sunday school teacher.
Have Yourself a Merry Kitschy Christmas
What weird Nativity sets get right about the story of Jesus.
Relief in Wartime Chaos
Fleeing violence, nearly 1.3 million Syrians and Iraqis are now living in Jordan. How local and global leaders are meeting their needs.

Views

The Weight of Ferguson, ISIS, and Boko Haram
How we bear, sometimes joyfully, the burdens of 2014.
What Forgotten Christmas Tradition Should Churches Revive?
Rooting our celebration of Christ’s birth more deeply in our lives.
Why Personal Devotions Aren’t Enough
The Bible was made to be read in church first.
The Man Who Humanized War
He still shapes our wartime ideals 150 years later.

Reviews

The Unremarkable Call to Love Our Gay Neighbors
Glenn Stanton shows how friendship and biblical fidelity belong together.
Using (and Abusing) Hell as a Political Motivation
How the threat of eternal punishment stirred moral and spiritual urgency in early America.
Jesus and 'Jingle Bell Rock'
For my family, there's no dividing line between "American Christmas" and "Christian Christmas."
Wilson's Bookmarks
From the editor of Books & Culture.
The Most Important Thing About the Holy Spirit
J. D. Greear remembers what gets missed in secondary debates.
The Alternative Music Label That Shaped Evangelical Culture
Tooth & Nail Records let Christian teenagers be both safe and subversive.
New & Noteworthy Books
Compiled by Matt Reynolds

News

Gleanings: December 2014
Important developments in the church and the world (as they appeared in our December issue).
Sorry, Tertullian
Recent research tests the most famous adage about the persecuted church.
O Subtle Star of Bethlehem
Theory suggests wise men saw something big in something little.
Quitting While Ahead
Why some United Methodist evangelicals suggest a split, even though their side is winning.

More from this Issue

The Glowing Pope
Why even ‘nones’ like my brother are taking notice.
Reply All
Readers respond to the October issue via letters, tweets, and blogs.
My Boring Christian Testimony
How I know it's nonetheless real.