Articles by Jeff Fountain
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The controlled use of fire helped develop our humanity. Gathering around fires for warmth and storytelling, singing, teaching, and spiritual rituals became a metaphor for inspiration, spirit, and knowledge. Fire extended human activity into the night with profound implications for learning, productivity and culture. It is worthy of awe. -
The wonder beneath our feet
When we touch earth, we are touching something deeply ancient, deeply alive. It may seem solid and lifeless, but scoop up a handful of dirt and you have a living substance. And without gravity, nothing would stay in place. Let us not lose the wonder of the free gifts God has given to all the Earth. -
The invisible miracle necessary for life
Air is our silent companion from the moment we are born until our final breath. It connects us to every living thing around us. Yet it is the most taken-for-granted of all life’s necessities. Across cultures, air carries profound symbolic meaning. This is an opportunity to thank God for the breath of life! -
The archtype of grace is a rare cosmic delicacy
Water is a true wonder we easily take for granted. It is so essential for life on planet Earth, and so rare in the known universe that it deserves the utmost respect from us all. The characteristics of water provide us with a great example of grace. As we contemplate the wonder of water, let us give praise for God's glorious grace. -
Wisdom from an unexpected source
Reading the Bible through unbelievers' eyes can highlight remarkable things believers take for granted. In a new book by Norwegian socialists, the authors were struck by how often scripture condemns injustice, defends widows and orphans, welcomes strangers and warns against the corrupting power of riches. Why then have so many Christians stopped expecting it to shape public life? -
Our global family at play with the beatiful game
A miracle of global fraternity in our fractured, polarized, warring world has been created by one of humanity’s great shared languages: football. The FIFA Football (Soccer) World Cup is watched by billions of people around the world every four years. Sport presents an opportunity for people to come together, expend energy, and learn precious life skills. Where would we be without it? -
The struggle for freedom persists and there are signs of hope
Hungarians celebrating a change in government last week reminds us that freedom can be recovered through democratic means and that illiberal systems are reversible and autocratic leaders are removable. Yet for followers of Jesus our hope is not in political change. Freedom is an inner reality that we must cultivate. -
Considering Christian ethics in the time of war
Like other believers in conflict zones, Ukrainian Christians have been wrestling with issues of war that many Western Christians have long discussed only in theory... issues that may become reality sooner rather than later. Ukraine is becoming a laboratory of ethics for the global Church. We would do well to listen very carefully. -
What is the bigger threat to Europe: migration or nationalism?
Loud voices still proclaim that Europe’s decline is demographic and religious, driven by migration and the erosion of a once-Christian civilization. But the evidence simply does not support this narrative. Secularism and nationalism pose the far greater threat. The Church must stand against it and seek the common good of all. -
Study is crucial for the Church's mission in the world
As demand for formal theological education drops in the West and non-formal theological education demand rises elsewhere, we ask the question, "why study?" This article reaffirms study as part of loving God with all our minds and essential for our ability to apply God's word to our world for the glory of God in Europe and every other context worldwide. -
Why celebrate in such unsettling times?
For the fourth time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we are celebrating the Word of God becoming flesh as angels proclaimed peace on earth. So where is the peace? The Christmas carols seem totally detached from today’s headlines, but they tend to sing about the outcome of God's promise, not the process. -
Is the future of European civilization an inevitable decline or a dialogue-created common good?
Two sharply contrasting views of Europe surfaced last week, one from Washington, the other from Brussels. These two visions imply very different futures for Europe and the wider world. We could be headed for an unwelcome geopolitical situation that will polarize the world into a values bloc and a power bloc.
