Columnists

• The Elusive Presence

  Mark Galli
  

  As Christianity Today's editor in chief, in this column I reflect on American Christianity, but especially evangelical Christianity. I’ve been embedded in the movement for over five decades, so I should have something to say by now. And what I have to say about the movement is more or less what I have to say to myself, as I see in myself the same shortcomings and potential that I see in the movement at large. The title of the column, “The Elusive Presence,” is deliberately borrowed from The Elusive Presence: The Heart of Biblical Theology by Samuel Terrien, originally published in 1978. I read the book soon after it was published, but today I don’t consciously remember much from it except the title (though I suspect it has formed me in ways I remain unaware of). As this series goes on, the careful reader will understand why this is an apt title for the column. (Subscribe to The Galli Report newsletter for updates.)

  We Love and Loathe God

  If we can't admit that, we won't make much headway.
  And Now, the Star of the Show....

  How we inadvertently create a cult of personality around our preachers.
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• Confessing God

  Derek Rishmawy
  

  Confessing God attempts to understand who we are and how the world should be by looking at what the Bible says who God is.

  Praying With Fire

  What Moses and the burning bush teach us about approaching God.
  Meekness Is Not Weakness

  It seems like foolishness to us, but it was one of Jesus’ greatest strengths.
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• Evangelical Distinctives

  Mark Galli
  

  Christianity Today's editor in chief considers what it means to be an evangelical Christian today, drawing on the movement's history, theology, and spirituality.

  God’s Letter to Us

  How evangelicals read Scripture.
  It Doesn’t Get Any More Personal

  Why evangelicals give pride of place to penal substitutionary understandings of the Cross.
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• Beginning of Wisdom

  Jen Wilkin
  

  The Beginning of Wisdom offers a Bible teacher's perspective on spiritual growth and scriptural study in our churches, small groups, and families.

  5 Tips for Training Little Evangelists

  Faithful speech doesn’t need to rely on formulas.
  Can We Finally Break the Silence Around Tamar?

  Telling the uncomfortable story of “desolate” Tamar positions us to show a kind of compassion King David didn’t.
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• Pending Resolution

  Sandra McCracken
  

  Pending Resolution is an exploration of the tensions of living between God's promises offered and his promises fulfilled, looking to Scripture for guidance.

  Finding Grace in the Sunrise

  God’s people have often practiced sacred remembering. So should we.
  Faith Like an Olive Tree

  What Israel’s most famous plants taught me about spiritual growth.
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• Spirited Life

  Andrew Wilson
  

  Spirited Life is a collision between biblical reflection and charismatic practice, aiming to make people happier in God.

  When Satan Takes the High Road, We Take the Low Road

  Why humility is one of the most effective tools for resisting the Devil.
  Paul Says to ‘Be Filled with the Spirit.’ How Do We Obey a Passive Verb?

  Perhaps a sailing analogy will help clear up the confusion.
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