by Peter James | Apr 7, 2025 | Frederick Buechner
I struggled early in preaching to convey abstract theological concepts in common, everyday speech. I often turned to the book, Wishful Thinking, to help in this endeavor. Its author, Frederick Buechner (1926-2022) wrote novels and short stories with Christian...
by Peter James | Apr 6, 2025 | Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Favorite
Hitler’s takeover of the German Evangelical Church was resisted by a small number of dissenting pastors like Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). Dietrich challenged his pastoral colleagues to stand for Christ and not succumb to Hitler’s fear tactics. The...
by Peter James | Apr 5, 2025 | Harriet Tubman
Prayer takes many forms. So called “Flash Prayers” are brief, sentence prayers that can be offered to God throughout the day. “Lord, help this person,” “God, open their eyes” and “Thank you, Lord” are but a few...
by Peter James | Apr 4, 2025 | Sir Francis Drake
I’m more interested in the prayer attributed to Francis Drake (1540-1596) than with Francis himself. While he is a colorful figure of history, he represents a mixed bag in matters of faith. His letters bear witness to genuine belief, yet his actions...
by Peter James | Apr 3, 2025 | St. Ignatius
At a slave auction block at Boston harbor on July 11, 1761, “A small, frail, female child was sold…for a trifle.” Her only covering was a scrap of carpet, and her owner was in a hurry to sell her, convinced she wouldn’t survive. Suzanna...
