An Absence of Humility

153 Evangelical leaders convened recently in Nashville under the auspices of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Biblical Womanhood and issued a statement on sexuality. Signers include some of the most prominent and influential leaders in the Evangelical family: James Dobson, Richard Land, James Robinson, Tony Perkins. The statement targets gay, lesbian and transgender persons […]

Preach About God

When I have occasion to visit a seminary or divinity school and talk with students I am impressed that they seem to know why they are there and what they believe. My recollection is that I enrolled in order to figure out what I believed and whether or not I believed at all. I showed […]

Keeping a Good Thanksgiving: Part 1

Greetings to our lovely readers! In these busy weeks – the first of the 2013 holiday season – we are pleased to offer you a series of posts on the subject of Thanksgiving. Delivered by Dr. Buchanan on October 29, 2013 in a speech titled, “Keeping a Good Thanksgiving: Hooray for the Pumpkin Pie,” we […]

Sweet Freedom’s Song

Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees, Sweet Freedom’s song. The church I attended last Sunday made no mention of the fact that our nation would celebrate the 237th anniversary of its independence this week, nor that this week includes the 150th anniversary of the pivotal Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. […]

God’s Own Image

God so loved the world. John 3:16 The evolution of the way sexual orientation is understood and viewed is surely one the most significant transformations in my life time. People my age cringe when recalling what used to be said and what we used to assume and believe about sexual orientation. It is almost difficult […]

The Sound of Sheer Silence

The Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake, the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.                    1 Kings 19: 11-12   Jesus said to them, “Come away to a deserted place and rest a while.”               […]

Thoughts and a Prayer for Fathers’ Day

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine Within your house; Your children will be like olive shoots around your table…… May you see your children’s children. Psalm 128 I’m thinking about my father. He died too soon, when he was 59, of emphysema, from smoking several packs of Camels a day all his life […]

A Sense of Common Ministry

Father Andrew Greeley’s death last week set me to thinking about the changing relationships between Catholics and Protestants and the unique relationship between Catholic and Protestant clergy. Greeley suffered a tragic accident and brain injury five years ago and has been in ill health ever since. He died in his home on May 29th. He […]

How Good Home Is

As I was preparing to preach on the 75th anniversary of the dedication and opening of the congregation’s new building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago in May 1914, I thought it would be interesting to introduce the sermon by recounting what else was going on on Chicago at that time. I made an amazing discovery, […]

Different Drummers: Christian Century Magazine

Dr. Buchanan gives a beautiful interview about his work as editor/publisher of the Christian Century Magazine and the importance of presenting intellectually challenging and responsible Christian theology that connects with and comments upon contemporary culture.