Summary: Augustine lived in the 3rd century and was faced with much division in the early church and lots of inner turmoil regarding the use of words and rhetoric in the Church. He wrote On Christine Doctrine to help untangle some of the misconceptions about what it means to share the Gospel with wisdom and eloquence. Today, we look at …
Column entry, “The Image of God and a Fresh Start,” by Elizabeth McLaughlin
Column Title: Communitas Column Entry: The Image of God and a Fresh Start Column Description: The term Communitas refers to an unstructured community of equal members often traveling from one place to another. Like the characters in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, we are fellow pilgrims on the road towards the Father’s house, following Jesus as the way, truth, and life. This …
A Prayer for a Godly Sense of Self, by Henri Nouwen
A Prayer for Self-Identity Heavenly Father, may our communication be animated by who we are in You and because of You. May we avoid the tendence to compare ourselves to others and perform ourselves into your grace. We offer this as a prayer: “You are not what you do, although you do a lot. You are not what you have …
Column entry, “The Aim of Scripture,” by Brandon Knight
Column Title: In Search of Right Words: Saint Augustine, Rhetoric, and Preaching By Brandon Knight, Ph.D. William Carey University July-August column entry: “The Aim of Scripture” Column Description here: Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, in his work On Christian Doctrine, illustrates the important relationship between preaching and rhetoric. Even in his day, many questioned what use the church could possibly …
Column entry, “Living with Fences,” by Dennis Smith
Column Title: Bearing Witness: Reflections on a Life in Mission July Column Entry: “Living with Fences” Column Description: If you hang around long enough, mingle with enough folks in enough places on this fragile planet, and pay attention at least part of the time, life happens. And with life, stories. In this monthly column, Dennis Smith, former President of the …
A Prayer for Communication that Flourishes, by Terry Eagleton
“The most flourishing acts are those performed as though they were one’s last, and thus accomplished not for their consequences but for their own sake” (literary critic and British public intellectual Terry Eagleton, as quoted by Timothy Radcliffe, The Tablet, 16 July 2022, 13. Special thanks to Leonard Sweet’s Preach the Story community for this quote.) Heavenly Father. Help us …
CCSN Vlog, “Not One Rotten Word,” in the Secret Place (Ps. 91:1-2), by Stephanie Bennett
Stephanie Bennett, PhD, is a Professor of Communication and Media Ecology at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Please enjoy and share her vlog, “Contemplation, Communication, and Culture in the Secret Place” (Psalm 91:1-2). Today’s reading involves in a familiar passage about communicating grace in our day-to-day lives. It is from lovely translation of the Bible called The Voice, published by the …
New podcast, Fruit of the Spirit, Self-control, Part 2, by Paul Patton
In this 5-minute podcast, Paul takes a second look at the ninth and final “Fruit of the Spirit,” self-control, suggesting the biblical emphasis is on controlling the narcissistic impulses toward selfish ambition. He also takes a peek at Saint James’ emphasis that self-control is predominantly about controlling the words that come out of our mouths when angry or frustrated. Soul …
New Book Release, Integratio Press, Professing Christ: Christian Tradition and Faith-learning Integration in Public Universities
Welcome to the page for Professing Christ: Christian Tradition and Faith-Learning Integration in Public Universities (Editors, Jonathan Pettigrew, Robert H. Woods Jr.; Foreword by Mark Noll; Preface by Tim Muehlhoff. This is a publication of Integratio Press, the CCSN’s imprint. [Return to Integratio Press] This book was released in July 2022. You can purchase it here. Instructor’s can request an …
A Prayer for Our Communication to Be Filled with Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness, by Howard Snyder
Scripture Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. — Jesus (Matthew 5:6-7) Prayer Jesus, you have said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness would be filled. I hunger and thirst for more of you. Increase my appetite for you, my thirst for …
