Parenthood, disability, ethics, and the crooked way of grace
Currently Browsing: Episcopal Church
Evangelizing with Strawberries
Every Memorial Day, families in our suburb of Hartford, Conn., gather in the town center for a parade. Our church takes advantage of our location on the parade route to invite passers-by to stop for bowls of strawberry shortcake (with hot dogs and drinks also available). It’s a modest fundraiser for the church, but also [Read More...]I Don’t Like God’s Seating Chart
Posted on Apr 1st, 2014 in Christian unity, conservative Christianity, Episcopal Church, gay marriage, homosexuality, progressive Christianity, unity, World Vision
As you know from my last post, I was devastated by World Vision’s reversal, under pressure, of a previous policy decision to welcome people in legal same-sex marriages as employees. Today’s post is less about the decisions themselves than how they made me feel about many of my fellow Christians—those at World Vision and those whose [Read More...]
What Happens When We Pray
Posted on Mar 25th, 2014 in Book of Common Prayer, children, Christian responses to suffering, Christianity, church, Episcopal Church, Episcopalianism, faith, family, God, Jesus Christ, kids, liturgy, pain, prayer, suffering
I don't understand how prayer works. But I believe in a God who is good, a God who is love. I keep praying because I believe that prayer, somehow, makes that goodness and love more real and accessible in the midst of whatever nightmares mark our days.
God Does Not Make Me Happy (or Three Things I Learned About My Relationship with God)
Posted on Feb 4th, 2014 in calling, Christianity, emotional faith, Episcopal Church, faith, God, liturgy, parenthood, psalms, sacraments, scripture, struggle, suffering, vocation, writing
Last weekend, I went on a one-night retreat with my church’s vestry. (In an Episcopal church, the vestry is akin to a board of directors. We advise and collaborate with the clergy on big-picture questions around the church’s mission, and approve the annual budget. I am in my third year of a three-year vestry term.) [Read More...]
Why I Love Pope Francis’s Radical (Not Really) Take on the Gospel
Posted on Sep 23rd, 2013 in abortion, Christian unity, Christianity, conservative Christianity, contraception, Episcopal Church, Episcopalianism, ethics, evangelicalism, gay marriage, gospel, grace, homosexuality, humility, Jesus Christ, Karen Swallow Prior, liberal Christianity, love, Pope Francis, Protestant, Protestantism, religious diversity, reproductive ethics, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, sexuality, theology
I am enamored of Pope Francis. Every time he clarifies what he believes about the Catholic Church, its priorities, and its purpose, I am grateful that God gave this wise, smiling cleric a worldwide audience. Francis’s thoughtful, humble way of speaking about God and the church is good for all Christians, not only those who [Read More...]
I am a writer who focuses on faith, family, disability, and ethics. For a full bio, see the "About" page of this web site. Links to published work are available on the "Publications" page. I also speak regularly at conferences and for church, community, and student groups. The "Events" page lists upcoming events and more information about having me speak at your event. I also have extensive experience doing copyediting of many kinds of publications, including articles, books, and academic dissertations or theses. Please contact me to discuss your project. 
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"Part memoir, part theological treatise, [No Easy Choice] offers a refreshingly candid and nuanced grappling with assisted reproduction...This well-written, insightful account should serve as a
resource to anyone who ponders the intersection of medicine, ethics, and parenthood."
—Publishers Weekly
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