The Archive

Every essay.

Jacqueline WilsonFeatured

The Death and Immortality of Mortal Men in "The Lord of the Rings"

In a letter addressed to Dr. Rhona Beare, on October 14th, 1958, J.R.R. Tolkien states that The Lord of the Rings, “is mainly concerned with Death, and Immortality.”[1] He also notes in a letter to Robert Burchfield on December 2nd, […]

Elizabeth SticeFeaturedEvangelicalism

Deconstructing with Silas Marner

In the early pages of Silas Marner, a devout young weaver falls asleep at a sick man’s bedside and is accused of having robbed the dying man. His religious community resolved on praying and drawing lots… Silas knelt with his […]

Jake MeadorChurch

On Actually Reading What People Actually Say

Here are excerpts from interviews or brief writings on issues of sexuality, sin, and concupiscence from three pastors: Pastor A: Interviewer: It sounds like you’re saying that original sin is culpable sin, but then it produces something that is not […]

Nadya WilliamsFeaturedCulture

The Fears and Hopes We Sing in Lullabies

When you fall asleep, dear little one, a grey wolf will emerge from the wild forest and will grab you straight from your bed. Back to the forest he will drag you and will deposit you under a willow tree. […]

Jake MeadorChurchBooks

How to be an Evangelical Influencer (Apparently)

Endorse a book you didn’t actually read. Capitulate to a Twitter mob demanding you retract your endorsement for the book that you didn’t actually read. Call the book’s argument, which is almost identical to things you’ve said in your own […]

Jake MeadorFeaturedCulture WarCurrent Politics

The PR Style in Christian Media

By now the discourse surrounding Joshua Ryan Butler’s book excerpt published at the Gospel Coalition has in some ways exhausted itself. To be sure, Butler’s intentions for the text — to highlight and commend the beauty of the Christian sex […]

David MooreFeaturedHistoryCurrent Politics

In Conversation with Os Guinness

This marks a veritable baker’s dozen of Guinness books I’ve read. None of the thirteen have been duds, though I certainly have my favorites. Guinness has authored about thirty-five books along with being the lead drafter for the Williamsburg Charter […]

Brian MesimerFeaturedCultureCurrent Politicshealth

Why Are Young Conservatives Less Depressed?

In a recent essay, Matt Yglesias attempted to explain the curious but well-documented phenomenon of why younger progressive minded teens are consistently more depressed than their conservative counterparts.

Christina StantonFeaturedCulture

The Legacy of Lena Horne

In the spring of 2010, I accepted a job with a student tour company to lead a group of middle schoolers from Anniston, Alabama, around New York City. This group wanted a tour that highlighted Black history and culture, and […]

Todd StathamFeaturedCurrent Politicshealth

A Time to Die: Reflections on Medically-Assisted Dying in Canada

There is “a time to die” says Scripture (Ecclesiastes 3:2). When is that time? And who decides? I live in Canada, where these questions now seem to have clear answers: you may decide when to die, and whatever you decide […]

Jake MeadorChurch

Wild Christianity

Kingsnorth has a must-read in First Things: Everybody is talking these days about the decline of the West, and with good reason. Some people think that Christianity should have something to say about this: that as the faith was the rock […]

Jake MeadorFeaturedCultureEvangelicalism

Renewing Public Protestantism: Online Media

(this post could be understood as a companion piece to the recent statement regarding a renewal of public Protestantism) If our traffic data is accurate, most of you reading this right now are reading on your phone. Over the last […]