Quote of the Week, Spiritual Integrity of Everyday Speech, by William Law, 18th century

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“Let nothing be said in your conversation that is vain, foolish, or ridiculous; but let all your discourse be such as becomes a servant of God.” —William Law (1686 – 1781) Source: William Law, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life (London: William Innys, 1729), 248. Question for reflection: In what ways does my daily conversation reflect the …

Book Review, The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences

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Book Reviewed: Storm, Jason Ananda Josephson, The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences (University of Chicago Press, 2017). Journal of Christian Teaching Practice, Volume 12, 2025 (January – December) Reviewed By: David Dockery, Assistant Professor, William Carey University Reviewer Affiliation: William Carey University Total Pages: 400 ISBN-13: 978-0226403366   Students of religion are familiar …

Column Introduction, The Virtue of Smallness, by Clint Rothell

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Column title: The Virtue of Smallness Column entry: The Virtue of Smallness, an Introduction By Clint Rothell Column Description: Pride is the childish pursuit of making the world, our family, friends, colleagues, and strangers small so that we can become large and more important. In this column, I focus on pride’s opposite: humility. In contrast to pride, humility is being …

Quote of the Week, Patient and Thoughtful Speech, Isidore of Seville, 7th Century

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“Let your speech be patient and your silence thoughtful, for the wise man speaks so as to teach, not to wound.” —Isidore of Seville (c 560 – 636 AD) Source: Isidore of Seville, Sententiae, trans. Thomas L. Knoebel, in Isidore of Seville: Sententiae, vol. 3 of Ancient Christian Writers: The Works of the Fathers in Translation, ed. Thomas C. Oden …

Quote of the week, Self-control and Speech, by Origen, 3rd Century

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“He who is truly wise and practices self-control will guard his tongue, knowing that words can wound more deeply than swords, and that silence often speaks more faithfully than speech.” –Origen (c. 185 – 254 AD) Question for reflection: When I speak—especially in moments of tension or disagreement—do my words reflect the holiness and honor I seek to cultivate in …

New Vlog Entry, “Carrying a Towel,” with Stephanie Bennett

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In this entry, “Carrying a Towel” . . . Jesus’ example of washing his followers’ feet is not something that many Christians  experience.   He encouraged them to wash one another’s feet, but is it the actual physical washing of feet that is important?  Is Jesus requiring this of his followers?   If so, why aren’t foot-washing ceremonies taken as seriously as …