“Lord, guide my tongue, that I may speak only what pleases you.” –Aelred of Rievaulx (1110–1167) Source: Aelred of Rievaulx, Prayers and Meditations, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1978), 74. Reflection: Where in my conversations today do I most need God’s help to speak with intention, gentleness, and truth?
Quote of the Week, The Weight of Our Words, by Bernard of Clairvaux, 12th Century
“Words that do not edify wound the listener and burden the speaker.” –Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) Source: Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermones de Diversis, sermon 38: “Verba quae non aedificant, vulnerant audientem et gravant loquentem.” Reflection: How might this insight reshape the way we speak in moments when we feel rushed, irritated, or careless?
Book Review, The Wages of Cinema: A Christian Aesthetic of Film in Conversation with Dorothy L. Sayers
Return to Journal of Christian Teaching Practice (in Communication Studies) Book reviewed: Crystal L. Downing, The Wages of Cinema: A Christian Aesthetic of Film in Conversation with Dorothy L. Sayers (InterVarsity Press, 2025). [Reviewed by Alex Wainer Palm Beach Atlantic University] Reviewed by: Alex Wainer, PhD Reviewer Affiliation: Professor Emeritus of Communication and Media Studies, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West …
Now Available from Integratio Press, Minding Our Hearts: Devotionals on the Teaching Life for Christian Professors
Minding Our Hearts: Devotionals on the Teaching Life for Christian Professors Available now Editor: John Marson Dunaway Total pages: 240 [View book on Integratio Press website] Description This collection of 52 devotionals is designed for college or university professors, so all entries are connected to some aspect of faculty life: the classroom experience, research, or participation in the …
Now Available from Integratio Press, Relationships on the Run, by Stephanie Bennett
Relationships On the Run: How to Grow Authentic Connections and Lasting Intimacy in a Hurried Culture Stephanie Bennett Now Available Total pages: 188 [View book on Integratio Press website] Description Stressful. Overwhelming. Too much. If these words describe the tone of your everyday life, it’s time for a change. In the midst of a fast-paced world we need strong friends …
Now Available from Integratio Press, In Their Steps, by Chris Hamstra
In Their Steps: What Jesus and His Disciples Teach about Sharing Our Leadership Life Stories in Transformational Ways Now available Author: Chris Hamstra Total pages: 128 [View book on Integratio Press website] Description This book helps individuals discover, develop, and deliver their leadership life stories. Through examples of Jesus and His twelve disciples, readers will understand more about …
A Prayer for a Mouth that Praises, Girolamo Savonarola, Fifteenth Century
“O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.” — Girolamo Savonarola (1452–1498) Source: Girolamo Savonarola, Infelix ego, in Select Works of Girolamo Savonarola, trans. and ed. John Procter (London: George Bell and Sons, 1900), 245. Reflection: Where do I most need God to open my lips so that what I speak reflects truth, humility, and praise …
Quote of the Week, The Discipline of Silence, by Thomas à Kempis, 15th Century
“Accustom yourself to keep silence, and you will learn to speak with wisdom.” — Thomas à Kempis (1380–1471) Source: Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, trans. William Benham (London: J. M. Dent, 1907), 35. Reflection: Where in my daily conversations do I most need to cultivate silence so that my words, when spoken, carry greater wisdom and charity?
A Prayer to Sanctify My Thoughts and Words, by Thomas Ken, 17th Century
“Sanctify my thoughts and words, that whatever I think or speak may tend to Thy glory.” —Thomas Ken (1637-1711) Source: Thomas Ken, A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College (London: Charles Brome, 1695), 12. Reflection: What intention lies beneath the words I speak, and how might they more clearly reflect God’s glory?
Quote of the Week, Words Shaped by Charity, Catherine of Siena, 14th Century
“Let your speech be, as a rule, seasoned with the fire of charity and the zeal of souls.” —Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) Source: Catherine of Siena, Letter 16, in The Letters of Catherine of Siena, trans. Vida D. Scudder (London: J. M. Dent, 1905), 1:52. Reflection: Where might my speech today need to be “seasoned” with greater charity or zeal for …
