by Morgan Cunningham A slave captain, a preacher, and the writer of one of America’s most beloved hymns – John Newton’s life has captivated Christians and non-Christians for years. How did a man caught up in one of the greatest atrocities of all time write a hymn that continues to more…

by Nicole Busacca John Woolman is best known for being a Quaker mystic and prolific abolitionist during the 18th century, and the power of his message remains relevant today. Woolman’s passions were vast: he was an “abolitionist, mystic, critic of capitalism, ascetic, pacifist, holy man… spiritual purist.”[1] He strived toward more…

by Elaine Harris Wales appears a small, almost insignificant place to become the birthplace of a movement, yet it played an influential role in one of the many doctrinal disputes in Christianity. In the eighteenth century, a time when Calvinism and Arminianism were hotly debated, a sect of Methodism developed more…

by David Hendricks One of the main questions that every Christian tradition seeks to answer is: how can humanity be saved? There are many answers to that question. The Eastern Orthodox tradition tends to see sin as disease, and salvation as therapeutic, while Western Christianity tends to see sin as more…

by Samantha Cobb Johann Sebastian Bach, the great German composer of the 18th century, is well known for his many musical contributions to the Christian church. From his weekly cantatas to the grand Passions of St. John and Matthew, Bach’s musical genius remains unparalleled in church history. Born in 1685 more…

by Katie Mechem Often in churches today, politics and Christianity remain separate from one another. Christians are told to be in the world, not of it. Many people take this reference from John 17 as a call to let politics fall where they may and focus on upholding moral standards more…

by Samantha Cobb In the spring of 1995, three Jewish students of the Swarthmore College Chorus refused to sing in their April concert, which was to present Bach’s St. John Passion.[1] Their reason: this musical depiction of the Passion held anti-Semitic undertones, representing the ways in which the narrative of more…

by Katrina King In the seventeenth century, the doctrinal dispute over predestination came to the forefront in the Netherlands, serving as a means to further divide Protestants and stir up dissension. Originating with the seemingly contradictory theology of John Calvin (1509-1564) and Jacob Arminius (1560-1609), the debate carried over into more…