January (Web-only) 2013

Obama Administration Tweaks Rules on Contraception Coverage
HHS drops controversial definition of religious employer, but rules for nonprofits and for-profit companies are mostly as previously announced.

Christian Athletes Are Not Role Models
Ray Lewis and Colin Kaepernick are superb football players—that's all.

The Quest for the Perfect Atheist
Susan Jacoby's biography of Robert Ingersoll mistakes a likeable fellow with a second-rate mind for a "freethinking" hall-of-famer.

Preach On, Victoria's Secret Model
She's pretty, privileged, and not afraid to admit it.

Why I Raise My Kids with God
God is real, and I want my kids to know it.

In Defense of Church Hoppers
Some Christians' spiritual baggage makes it harder to find a church home

The Search for God Is Never a Search in the Dark
No, our doctrines can't capture the fullness of God's nature. But nor are we hopelessly ignorant about who he is.

Did Andy Stanley Really Mean Obama Is 'Pastor in Chief'?
The Atlanta megachurch pastor speaks about his pre-inauguration sermon and reaction to it.

Death Is in the Details
Stop glossing over the grief, and the gore, of lives lost.

Female Heroes in a New Kind of Combat
Military women already serve and sacrifice in today's wars.

Administrators' Resignations Fuel Fears at Cedarville University
(UPDATED) Concerned alumni, students, and faculty suspect a purge; school says stop connecting the dots.

Abortion Views Relatively Unchanged 40 Years After Roe v. Wade, Statistics Show
But are Americans' feelings about abortion really so stagnant?

Being Skinny Is Not a Christian Virtue
Finding the right motivations for caring for our bodies.

The Odd Couple—and Their Unexpectedly Beautiful Music
Aaron Neville and Keith Richards are just the latest unlikely, genre-bending collaborators.

When Our Labels Fail: The End of 'Pro-Choice'
Our impulse to divide and categorize has its limits.

The Troubled State of Christian Preaching
What Giglio got right and the church often gets wrong.

Why I Changed My Mind About Martin Luther King's ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
I've been among those who've said its popularity has obscured King's larger message. This year, I'm reconsidering it.

The False Intimacy of Dating in the Digital Age
Why I stopped Google stalking my suitors.

Hold Baby Showers, Not Political Debates
How to approach unplanned pregnancies with Christian grace and acceptance.

Roe at 40: Who's Winning the Abortion Battle?
With victories and setbacks on both sides, not to mention conflicting polls, it can be hard to tell.

The Manti Te'o Hoax, from the Perspective of a Football Fanatic's Wife
After falling for it, I realized deception is nothing new.

Jodie Foster's Confession (No, Not That One) Made Her My Hero
Relating to a frank and fragile voice of loneliness

We Will, We Will Mock You
There's a fine line between irony and ire, and alas, Father John Misty crossed it.

From the Sandhills of Nebraska to the Universe Next Door
James Sire's memoir looks back on his ranchland upbringing and career in apologetics.

The Myth of the Christian Nut Job
Relax. Non-Christians think your faith is less weird than you do.

Critics' Choice Movie Awards of 2012
From popular blockbusters to indies to foreign films, our critics pick the year's best.

Law and Les Miserables Revisited
What if the film shows us a beautiful picture of law as well as gospel?

Asking Why to Chronic Pain at Age 22
As troubling as the pain itself was how meaningless it seemed.

What Les Miserables Reveals about Modern Women
The plight that befalls Fantine still affects millions of women today.

Why All Christians Can Back Better Gun Control
My allegiance to Christ trumps my allegiance to this country and its founding documents.

PBS Series Depicts American Abolitionists as Fired by Faith
Documentarian says anti-slavery movement and evangelicalism shared "idea of converting people."

The Most Redeeming Films of 2012
Our No. 1 pick, a story of grace and forgiveness, is widely loved ... and loathed.

Persecuted Christians Have New Allies: World Watch Monitor and Morning Star News
Compass Direct News is no more, but two new groups hope to continue its impact.

Courts Issue Contradictory Rulings as Contraceptive Mandate Fines Begin
Ruling Roundup: For-profits seeking injunctions against HHS have 10-3 winning record.

Hobby Lobby: The First Martyr Under Obamacare?
Why more Christians should be alarmed by the ruling against the craft store chain.
Why YOLO Is the New WWJD
Might Christians learn something from the ridiculous catchphrase of 2012?

Don't Give Up on Post-Christian Places
Tim Keller shows how the seeds of gospel transformation can take root in rocky secular soil.

Why Adoption Became Russell Moore's Personal Cause
And why more evangelicals should be joining him.

UPDATED 1/4: Passion 2013: Live from Atlanta
60,000 university-aged students from around the globe are gathered at the Georgia Dome this week to "make Jesus famous" and "end modern-day slavery."
The Best of Her.meneutics 2012: Writers' Choice
The posts that wowed our regular contributors.