When I was in seminary, the dean once remarked that, "Saint Nicholas was present at the Council of Nicaea, which means that it's entirely possible that Santa Claus wrote the Nicene Creed." As it turns out, the saint whom we associate with the jolly guy in the big red suit was actually an influential bishop in the early Church.

Over the last three years, our participation in Advent Conspiracy has allowed us to bring fresh, clean water to the people of Peru. This has been an immense blessing. By saving just a little bit on what we spend on Christmas, we have been able to save lives and make a better world.

I cannot tell you how often I hear this question. It's understandable, considering that Philadelphia is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, and considering that so much about our two traditions look so much the same.

Rob Bell has known his share of controversy. Throughout his career as a pastor and teacher, he's stirred up the ire of some Christians who believe that his way of articulating the Christian faith is confused at best and heretical at worst.

Today is the feast day for C.S. Lewis, the great writer and apologist whose beloved children’s books, The Chronicles of Narnia, have moved the hearts and minds of generations of young people. Lewis is well known for dispelling the bizarre modern notion that one has to give up being a thinking person to be a Christian.

One of the most troubling debates taking place in The Episcopal Church today is the debate over what is sometimes referred to as “open Communion,” the practice of regularly inviting and giving Holy Communion to people who have not yet been baptized.

It appears that in my recent absence, computer generated ads have popped up all over this site. As a consequencce, I'm turning off comments for now, at least until I can get it all sorted out. It will take hours of mindless clicking just to delete what is already here. My apologies to anyone who might have something legitimate to say. I can't for the life of me imagine why people do this.

There’s been a great deal of conversation in the media lately about the horrendous privacy policies of Facebook. Whether or not this is a worthy subject for so much consideration, it is true that more and more people are connecting through social networking sites, creating virtual versions of themselves through which to access the world.

I've always been a lover of books, though I read dreadfully slowly. But books have always been a source of grace for me, a place where my mind and my heart are expanded. So I thought I would share with all of you a few of the books that have most shaped me.

This is the post-apocalyptic Christian thriller that we've been waiting for

"In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road.

This morning we formally kicked off the Advent Conspiracy campaign in church with the first of what will be five sermons about the campaign. More information about Advent Conspiracy at Holy Comforter can be found here.