Interview

An Inklings’ Heir: Rob Jones’ Poetic Vision for the Church and the Imagination

Rob Jones is a poet, musician, two-time #1 Amazon bestselling author—and happily for us, a lover of the Inklings. His literary accomplishments include two books of poetry—The Hidden Work: Poems Inspired by the Writings of C. S. Lewis and Re-enchanted—as well as two children’s books, Here Comes the Night and Poetic Pete, and a new adult romance novel, Bad Boys of the Kingdom. His poetry has been featured in Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal and Cultivating Oaks Press.

In this interview, Rob shares about, among other things, the importance of the arts and the role of beauty in the church; why creativity and wonder matter for all who call themselves Christians; the significance of community and interdependence within the Christian faith; the power of literature to transform consciousness and build connection; and the value of fiction in illustrating truths about life and spirituality. All of this is offered with beautiful humility and grace. Plus, if you are anything like me, you are going to love his voice. Also, he reads some of his poetry for us :)…

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Features

A Dream Deferred?

by César “CJ” Baldelomar
On his 1991 debut album, 2Pacalypse Now!, the late Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) raps over a melodic…

Remembering Laurel Gasque

by Susan S. Phillips
For the past few decades, dear Laurel faithfully read the Ordo, the Christian lectionary of prayers and…

Review

Fiction

New College Berkeley's Radix Live Events

Fight Like Jesus, with Jason Porterfield: An Author Event by NCB’s Radix Live

We hosted an online conversation with Jason Porterfield, author of Fight Like Jesus (2022), a book that challenges readers to embrace the radical peacemaking of Christ. In this interactive event, Jason explored how Jesus waged peace throughout Holy Week, offering insight into the events leading to the cross—and what they mean for peacemaking today. Timely, indeed.

Guiding the conversation was Michael Barram, professor of theology and longtime advocate for justice and discipleship. Drawing from Jason’s years of ministry among the urban poor and his theological study, the dialogue helped us understand how we, too, can cultivate God’s shalom in a world desperate for peace.

After discussing his book—which has been described as a compelling narrative of Holy Week and a practical guide for everyday peacemaking—we invited questions from participants. For those who long for a faith that actively pursues reconciliation and justice, this conversation offered both challenge and encouragement.…

Centered-Set Church: An Author Event by NCB’s Radix Live

Our monthly NCB’s Radix Live event featured host Matthew Steem inviting Mark D. Baker to discuss his book, Centered-Set Church: Discipleship and Community Without Judgmentalism (IVP Academic, 2022). A "centered-set" was presented as an alternative to either a "bounded-set" (churches with hard boundaries that could repel newcomers or make it difficult for them to join) or a "fuzzy-set" (churches with so much inclusion that they lacked a vital sense of shared faith and identity).
This Radix Live event included a conversation between Mark and our two panelists, Steve Joh, with Arbor Communities (a ministry of Rewire), and Dustin Maddox, with North Fresno Church, who had implemented a centered-set approach in their ministries. Attendees were welcomed to ask questions – and, as you’ll see, there were some good ones!…

Visually Sacred

Charles Pickstone: Sacred Meaning in Art

Charles is vicar of St. Laurence, Catford, London and a trustee of Art & Christianity Enquiry. He is on the editorial board of Art & Christianity, and until recently a visiting scholar at Sarum College. Charles regularly contributes articles to books and magazines on art and spirituality…

Ani Shahinian: Visualizing Martyrdom

Ani is an Assistant Professor in Armenian Christian Art and Theology, holding a post in Grace and Paul Shahinian Lectureship, at the St. Nersess Armenian Theological Seminary and St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York. She earned her doctorate in History…

Cecilia González-Andrieu: Beauty and Resistance

Cecilia is professor of Theology and Theological Aesthetics at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. She is the recipient of the 2024 Virgilio Elizondo Award from the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States, the 2023 Ann O’Hara Graff Award from…

Thomas Pfau: Mysticism of Images

Thomas is the Alice Mary Baldwin Distinguished Professor of English at Duke University and Professor of Historical Theology in the Duke Divinity School. He is the author of four monographs: Wordsworth Profession: Form, Class, and the Logic of Romantic Cultural…

Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt: Transforming Through Art

Elissa is an associate professor of art and art history at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and a Norris and Billie Little Endowed Scholar. She received her M.A. and PhD in art history from Washington University in St. Louis, where her research focused on contemporary art, the body, and empathy.…

Peter Casarella: Cultural Symbols in Religion

Peter has been a Professor at Duke Divinity School since 2020. Before Duke, he taught at Notre Dame and was the founding director of DePaul’s Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. He has published a monograph, Word as Bread: Language and Theology in Nicholas of Cusa. On November 15, 2024, his edited volume of the…