Table Of Contents
July/August 2020
Volume 64, Number 5
July/August
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About This Issue
Our two-part cover package this issue outlines the alarming reality that marriage, long caught in a tug of war over its meaning and place in Western society, is no longer even an appealing option for most young couples. And the decline of matrimony is not limited to North America or certain European countries; it’s happening worldwide. Sociologists Mark Regnerus, W. Bradford Wilcox, and Alysse ElHage argue that marriage hasn’t changed. Rather, our expectations for it have, and the church may be its last defense.
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Cover Stories

Can the Church Save Marriage?
Matrimony rates are in decline, even among conservative Christians. Here’s what that means for the future.
COVID-19 Is Killing the Soulmate Model of Marriage. Good.
The silver lining for a post-coronavirus America: More married couples will be family-first.

Features

Welcome to Christian Camps’ Weirdest, Hardest Summer
More than a hundred sites have called off their peak season, while others reduced and reimagined their staple programs.
The Redemption of Interfaith Dialogue
Three evangelicals wrestle with faithful witness in conversations with Muslims.
The Old Testament Tells All
The Hebrew Scriptures place internal struggles on full display—and teach us a lot about spiritual practice.
White Evangelicals Have a Complicated Relationship with Christian Nationalism
Three books try to make sense of this political ideology.

Views

The God of Good Manners?
It’s easy to forget that God is both kingly and courteous.
Hope Beyond a Vaccine
Remember that Christian purpose has always been rooted in the not yet.
Want to Love Your Neighbor? Start By Fighting Your Own Sin.
When we “make every effort to be holy,” it works toward the common good.

Reviews

The Speed of Our Souls—and Our Soles
An avid walker explains why walking is good for spiritual growth.
Your Unbelieving Friends Need More Stories Than Syllogisms
Why serving up a diet of hard, rationalistic Christianity might be counterproductive.
Even Among Well-Meaning Christians, ‘Born Again’ Is Often Misunderstood
Recapturing the meaning of a much-stereotyped phrase.
Science and Scripture Agree: Singing Lifts Our Spirits
Why Christians erupt in song, even when hope seems lost.

News

Local Churches Seize the Initiative of Bible Translation
Advances in technology mean Christians without Scripture don't have to wait.
The Trinity Is Missing from Christian Worship Music
While churches praise God from whom all blessings flow, they don't praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Gleanings: July 2020
For Third-Party Christians, Some Things Are More Important Than Winning
Meet the presidential candidates who say they are called to the bottom of the ballot.
Refugee Converts Aren’t ‘Fraudsters,’ German Pastors Say
Churches push back on immigrant officials' new skepticism of authentic faith.

More from this Issue

Our July/August Issue: Put a Ring on It?
The future of marriage may depend on good marriages.
Life Amid the Ruin
Don’t miss the forest for the falling trees.
Reply All
Responses to our April issue.
The Tirade That Made Me a Christian
After an unwelcome move halfway across the world, I vented my anger to God. Then I learned to give him control.