Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
General Christian

2018-03-07T16:55:11-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Become an Olympian, Become an Ascetic

Last updated on: March 7, 2018 at 4:55 pm By Kathleen Mulhern

“Everything depends upon God, all Christian life begins with grace, all prayer is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but we can learn to respond to, or cooperate with, this divine action upon us.” So wrote Martin Thornton, an Anglican priest and author, writing on what he dubs the English school of spirituality. He shows his chutzpah by actually using the word “ascetical” in the title of his book: English Spirituality: An Outline of Ascetical Theology according to the English... Read more

2017-05-01T10:18:52-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Reading a List of the Names of People Who Lived a Long, Long Time Ago and Being Inspired By It

Last updated on: May 1, 2017 at 10:18 am By K. Mulhern

Today I read 1 Chronicles 2, which is nothing more than a list of names and names and names: fathers and wives and concubines and sons and daughters, one Egyptian slave, clans and kin and houses. Some might choose to roll over dead before reading such a thing; others might get to sleep long before reading the names of the sons born to Caleb and his wife Azubah. For whatever weird reason, I rather enjoy the biblical genealogies. All these... Read more

2017-04-26T16:03:25-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Hangs My Helpless Soul on Thee

Last updated on: April 26, 2017 at 4:03 pm By K. Mulhern

It is a mystery, unsolved and unsolvable, why some people believe and others do not, why some hear an odd echo of a forgotten voice within and some do not, why some see Jesus and others do not. “Why do you reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” asked one of his disciples. Yes, indeed, why? Jesus rarely answers questions with “Because ….” In fact, does he ever give a because? Does he ever make clear such mysteries?... Read more

2017-04-17T14:12:19-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Sweeter Far Thy Face to See: An Easter Reflection, John 20.1-18

Last updated on: April 17, 2017 at 2:12 pm By K. Mulhern

The Risen Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene, Rembrandt Oh Jesus! To collapse in grief, in the sense of utter hopelessness that the death of any beloved—but oh, your death, you who have given us the light of a new life, the hope of the unquenchable love of God, the vision of something beyond the horizons of this world—to fall flat in the effort to breathe because of sorrow. Oh Jesus! To long to touch you one more time, to wipe your... Read more

2017-03-30T12:05:25-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Nearing the End of Lent

Last updated on: March 30, 2017 at 12:05 pm By K. Mulhern

Perhaps it is too soon to let go of Lenten longings, but it is never too soon to remember that they “accomplish” nothing. We make the great and terrible efforts, but they are just efforts, and they have no real merit. “There is no calamity but Sin alone,” Thomas Traherne writes. To embrace that truth, to recognize sin as the great disrupter and abyss in our lives, means relentlessly refusing peace with it. And yet, in the midst of... Read more

Lent

2017-03-06T12:33:26-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why Do You Reveal Yourself to Us and Not to the World?

Last updated on: March 6, 2017 at 12:33 pm By K. Mulhern

We all recognize that our social media feeds these days are a frenzy of outrage, disgust, frustration, and vitriol. Christians actually seem the most frenzied. It is inconceivable, we think, that certain people resist what are obviously decent and moral policies, practices, or perspectives. Yet how lovely would it be if we could give up for Lent our outrage, disgust, frustration, and vitriol. Are we afraid that if we lay them down, we will fail Jesus somehow? that following Jesus demands... Read more

2017-03-06T12:34:03-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Alternative Lenten Disciplines (Not for Everyone)

Last updated on: March 6, 2017 at 12:34 pm By K. Mulhern

We need to get creative about our Lenten disciplines. The annual giving-up-chocolate-for-Lent is a fairly hackneyed practice, and it’s hard to know just what it is meant to accomplish. I’ve given up Lenten practices that really don’t change the way I think or pray or see the world. I just came from practicing the Lenten discipline I took up last year. Once again, it seems to be just the ticket for this year’s season. It’s not for everyone. It’s not... Read more

2017-02-17T15:50:06-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Prayers: Thomas Aquinas

Last updated on: February 17, 2017 at 3:50 pm By K. Mulhern

“Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.” Photo by liljc716, Flickr C.C. Read more

Prayers

prayer

2017-02-16T11:25:48-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Prayers: Sadhu Sundar Singh

Last updated on: February 16, 2017 at 11:25 am By K. Mulhern

“O Lord God, who are all in all to me, Life of my life and Spirit of my spirit, have mercy on me and so fill me with your Holy Spirit and with love that there may be no room for anything else in my heart. I ask not for any blessing, but for just yourself, you who are the giver of all blessings and of all life. In you alone is satisfaction and abundance for my heart; you... Read more

Prayers

prayer

2016-11-05T13:08:18-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Descent Into Darkness, but Never Alone

Last updated on: November 5, 2016 at 1:08 pm By K. Mulhern

When I read the stories in Keeping Love Alive as Memories Fade, I’m reminded of our own family’s journey of loss—the whispered conversations, the hurried runs over to Grandma’s house, the phone calls with out-of-state family, the boxing up of a house of memories, and the quiet goodbyes. Grandma left us long before she moved to live with her daughter in Florida. Years later, visiting that daughter, my aunt, I saw pictures of Grandma in her final years. Her feistiness,... Read more

Book Reviews

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What Christian group is known for large-scale evangelistic crusades?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Quakers Evangelicals Methodists Orthodox

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Ascetical Theology Book Reviews Children and Parenting Easter Epiphany Friends of God Lent Life in the Spirit Ludolph Pascalian Spirituality: a series Politics Prayers Six Neo-Christian Myths Spiritual Formation Tales from My Father Trinitarian Spirituality: a series Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 January 2023 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 April 2022 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 November 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 March 2015 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 October 2011 August 2011 July 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 November 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009

TRENDING AT PATHEOS General Christian