In yesterday's reflection, I began sharing a personal story related to the use of art in the sanctuary of Irvine Presbyterian Church, where I served as pastor for sixteen years. I explained how, when we built our sanctuary, we included few pieces of art. The sanctuary itself was a work of art, in our view. Moreover, we intentionally included large, clear...

My friend Nick grew up in a church that was very eager to keep him from sinning. Leaders in the church were fond of reminding him and his friends that, someday, when they stood before the Lord, all of their sins would be "shouted from the rooftops." Yes, if they had faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they would be saved, but only after being...

My guess is that those who read today's reflection will respond diversely to the question I'm asking. For some of my readers, it's obviously right for works of art to be displayed appropriately within sanctuaries and worship centers. For others, however, the use of art in spaces for worship is something to be avoided. A few basic symbols—cross, baptismal...

Babies love playing Peek-a-boo. If you hide your face behind a towel, a newspaper, or your sweater and then burst out with a smile saying, "Peek-a-boo," just about any baby of a certain age will smile or laugh. You can play this game endlessly, or so it seems, until a baby hits a certain age. (Developmental psychologists explain that Peek-a-boo works...