I first wrote about Fernando Ortega almost 30 years ago when I initially encountered his music in the late 1990s. That piece for Christianity Today (where I was serving at the time as associate editor) was titled, “The Hard Songs of Fernando Ortega,” noting his unique blend of plaintive supplication and staid hope in God that defied cliches and self-focus of much of contemporary Christian music of that era. His songs reflected the tension between real human sorrow and God’s faithfulness, sometimes using the lyrics of hymns and psalms, and more often summoning his own poetic renderings, painting a vivid picture of family life growing up against the backdrop of New Mexico’s magical landscapes.

His new single, “Every Time You Leave” (to be released July 31) continues those themes, though now from the vantage point of an older Fernando and one over whom life has worked its ravages. Co-written with Elaine Rubenstein and accompanied by the harmonies of Rachel Robinson, the song—in keeping with Fernando’s pattern of exploring family themes—springs from his post-divorce struggle to see his beloved (then) young daughter, Ruby, whose visits were brief and short-lived. The song captures the heartache of saying repeated goodbyes amid the agonizing rhythm of her coming and going, inevitably being left with only the gnawing silence after every goodbye. An invisible consolation comes, unsurprisingly, in the form of a sparrow (Fernando is an avid birder): “Our little sparrow at the window, is he checking in on me, looking in to see if you are here? . . . I know his song, his solitary tune, should be soothing as a gentle rain; things will turn around again the moment you come in . . .”

The melody is classic Fernando: plaintive without self-pity, elevating without sentimentality. His piano and supporting instruments are woven together in a way that allows the emotion to rise organically, neither maudlin nor contrived. The song builds to an emotional arc—the weight of those brief, precious visits—then recedes into the acquiescence of waiting until the next visit. It is not a resolution; it is a surrender that (knowing Fernando) is touched invisibly by God’s grace.

“Every Time You Leave” confers the dignity of honest human longing held in tension with unspoken trust in God. This new release is a gift to his devoted audience, as if to offer an update from a much-loved old friend.

~ ~ ~

Available July 31 on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and similar platforms.

For the latest updates, check his official site (fernandoortega.com), Instagram (@fernandoortegamusic), or Facebook (Fernando Ortega Music).

In other news, I handed in to the publisher the manuscript of my upcoming book about Mister Rogers, a project that has been more than a year in the making. I am looking forward to bringing this content more to the forefront of my posting as the book moves through the publication process. What a fantastic subject! It has been the highlight of my publishing life to have had the privilege to write about Fred Rogers and especially about the deep and abiding theology behind everything he presented in his Neighborhood. (Do you know the metaphysical implications behind the song, “You Can Never Go Down the Drain”?) Stay tuned for more updates on that!

As a bonus, I include below a brief clip from my conversation with Fred Rogers from many years ago that serves as the backbone to this book. My son sent it to me the eve before I handed in the project as a means of encouragement.

Hi Friends, I am writing to give you a quick update. I will be undergoing some surgery tomorrow (for a troubled sinus) that will have me laid low for a short time. I will post an update as soon as I have returned to general functionality. I welcome the prayers of those who are pray-ers.

More news will be coming soon related to other updates. So, stay tuned.

Thank you for your friendship and support.

(The photo is my kitty, Blue, checking out the grocery stash that my son and daughter-in-law provided for my recovery.)

The Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Ex Fonte explores theology, science, and the arts centered around a unifying theme: “The Heavens Are Yours.” This probing issue invites readers to consider the vastness of the cosmos and how it reframes human identity, faith, and imagination. Moving from astrobiology and extraterrestrial speculation to spiritual formation and poetic reflection, the issue examines how modern science and ancient Christian doctrine together expand our understanding of creation, salvation, and the meaning of the Incarnation, drawing readers into deeper wonder about both the universe and the movements of God.

The issue includes:

• A Conversation with Andrew Davison that probes how astrobiology and Christian doctrine intersect, highlighting how the Christian tradition already possesses other-worldly concepts—angels, cosmic order, and theological imagination—for reckoning with the possibility of life beyond Earth.

• A news piece by Timothy C. Morgan that examines the enduring cultural and political fascination with alien life, tracing recent government reports, public speculation, and scientific developments to show how curiosity about extraterrestrial intelligence persists at the crossroads of evidence, imagination, and belief.

• A reflection by Sean McDonough, who, in a lyrical theological reflection, calls readers to “look up and beyond” modern distractions and recover a vision of the stars as witnesses to divine glory, reorienting attention from technological saturation toward worship of the magnificent Creator.

• A Conversation with Adonis Vidu that delves into the meaning behind the Christian imagery of the believer’s nuptial marriage to Christ, presenting union with Christ as the experiential heart of Trinitarian faith and a lens for understanding prayer, suffering, and spiritual intimacy.

• An exploration of the seventeenth-century poet-pastor George Herbert by Stephen Witmer, who revisits this master as a guide for today’s troubled post-Christian world.

• Book reviews by the well-known and much-loved reviewer, John Wilson

You can purchase an individual copy or subscribe to receive three issues over the year.

We’d love to hear from you at exfonte@gordonconwell.edu.

As we move into the long-awaited summer months after a tedious and despairing New-England winter, I wanted to give you, my readers, an update on projects, plans and other asides.

First, I want to thank those of you who have continued to read and be a part of my writing world here on Substack. At every stage of my writing life, new lessons are learned and I continue to adapt, even at my age. I have come to the place where I understand that not every impulse to share something actually needs to be written down and published for all to see. For me, of late, many such impulses more frequently get consigned to the region of my mind labeled, Oh, never mind. It is a temptation of writers, I believe, to write about everything, including silly things. (I am weary of airport/flight-delay updates.) It is healthier simply to let some things go and not foist upon wearied readers mundane matters that afflict us at varying points on any given day. I understand that on social media platforms, a person is obliged to keep feeding the beast. But I have accepted an alternative path that takes the attitude that, if the beast must go hungry now and then, so be it. I trust the reader to prefer quality over quantity.

In any case, to those who’ve continued to read my posts—despite intermittent pauses—I am grateful. 🙏

                                                     👉 PROJECTS UPCOMING 👈

BOOK ON MISTER ROGERS IS READY TO GO

I will soon be remitting my manuscript to InterVarsity Press Academic for the book I have been working on about Fred “Mister” Rogers and his Heavenly Vision of the Neighborhood. This has been a life-giving project and I thank God for it! I will be writing more about this project as it grows nearer to publication.

*

EX FONTE SUMMER ISSUE COMING SOON

The Spring/Summer issue of Ex Fonte magazine will be released in mid-June. This issue explores the theological implications of space travel and related discoveries, along with a lovely reflection on the healing poetry of George Herbert. Ex Fonte is a thought magazine published by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (I am the editor in chief); it is not a standard “alumni” or “institutional” magazine. It is a trade magazine that is the seminary’s gift to the reading public, offering thoughtful theological reflection that informs the contemporary cultural conversation. It is published three times a year (for $20). You can subscribe here or purchase single issues here. (The summer issue will be out in mid-June and will be available for purchase at that time.)

*

reNEW SPIRITUAL RETREAT FOR WRITERS AND SPEAKERS,

In October, I am honored to be part of the faculty at the upcoming reNEW Spiritual Retreat for Writers and Speakers, at Wisdom House in Litchfield, Connecticut. (It’s not too late to register! Go here for more information.) I will be offering three workshops during this special weekend: Fiction as Both Sacred and Profane, Write Your Life: Building a Memoir, and Finding the Soul of the Interview. (More information on the workshops, including mine, can be found here.) Special thanks to Rachel Britton for inviting me! More will be coming on that soon.

                                                      👉 PLANS UPCOMING 👈

In early June I will be traveling to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the hometown of Fred Rogers. I plan to look around the town, visit the church he attended and also his final resting place, and especially to spend time at the Fred Rogers Institute on the campus of St. Vincent’s College. Needless to say, I will be writing more about that!

*

On a personal note, I will be undergoing surgery in early July for a non-cancerous tumor in my frontal sinus. For those of you who are praying people, I welcome your prayers for that! (Surgery date is July 2.)

I would love to hear from you! Please stay in touch.

Dear friends and Subscribers,

I am long overdue to give a general update. A portion of you seems to be consistently reading the novel that I have been publishing here, The Warrior King. Thank you for that. I made the decision to keep that content available to everyone because I’m grateful if anyone wants to read it. I also welcome your feedback. Do you like the characters? Are they believable? Who do you like the most? Who do you dislike the most? The mystery is soon to be solved. Do you have an idea about who perpetrated the crime?

Part of the reason for my absence has been some health struggles I’ve been contending with that have left me weak and fatigued. This has not yet been resolved, but I’m working on it.

An additional factor has been an impending deadline for the book I am writing about Mister Rogers and his heavenly vision for the Neighborhood. I’ve nearly completed the manuscript in time to do any needed revisions and to deal with other minutiae. That is a huge weight lifted off me for now.

It is my hope and intention, as my book on Mister Rogers moves toward publication, to begin sharing some of that material on this platform as well. It has been a very interesting and probing journey, exploring Fred’s personal faith and the hidden ways he shared the light of Christ through his programming.

Thanks for reading and please keep in touch.

You can purchase a hard copy of the novel here.

Amid the relaunch of my novel, The Warrior King, which I’m posting here, I have had a lot going on and have also been contending with the debilitating flu that has been going around. So, I apologize for the lack of personal engagement over these past weeks. Additionally, for those of us who live in the northern climes, February tends to be an especially difficult month as we abide in the dregs of winter with (in the case of this season) a steady stream of major snow storms: hearts are weary. The snow storms grind down human activity and interrupt the pace of life. So that’s the late February update from New England!

In other more hopeful news, I’d like to remind you that the magazine for which I am editor in chief, Ex Fonte, just released its Winter 2026 issue and its cover theme explores the invisible world of our celestial friends and foes (angels, saints, and, alas, demons.)

In this issue we lift the veil between the visible and invisible celestial world that surrounds us. From angels and saints to demonic opposition, from the cosmic imagination of C. S. Lewis to the testimonies of the nearly departed, this issue reminds us that the Christian life unfolds within a vast and vivid cosmos. Our cover pieces include:

Splendid and Luminescent: Lucas Stamps highlights how angels and demons aren’t ancient myths—they’re part of our living landscape.

Our Friends, the Saints: Frederica Mathewes-Green introduces us to the saints, not as distant figures—but companions in Christ.

God’s Adversary and Ours: Why talk about the Devil today? Philip Ziegler shows why theology needs clarity about the powers that oppose God.

Cast Them Out: Inside the world of a modern exorcist: Fr. Vincent Lampert reveals how spiritual darkness works—and how Christ’s light breaks through.

Caught in a Cosmic War: Jonathan Zoba digs into the probing spiritual implications behind C. S. Lewis’s That Hideous Strength, which he says speaks prophetically to our moment.

Behind the Veil: Timothy Morgan explores near‑death experiences that ask big questions about life, death, and hope.

You can learn more about the vision and mission of the magazine here and I invite you to subscribe here. Or, if you’re interested only in exploring the current issue, you can purchase it here.

In the coming weeks I will be writing about what what seems to be a tidal wave of unexpected deaths of my own friends, as well as well-known personalities. I’m seeing a lot of people noticing an uptick in this troubling pattern and I have been wanting to write about it for some time. So, stay tuned for that.

I am also working on a book on Mister Rogers and the theology of the Neighborhood. In coming weeks, I will begin to post about some of that research.

By way of encouragement for anyone else who is struggling to get through these late cold days of a long winter—or simply generally struggling to get through another day—here is a quote from the wisdom of Venerable Bruno Lanteri from the book Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement — a book, I should add, that has been exceedingly helpful to me personally:

I approve very strongly your three resolutions: 1. purity of intention will unite you all the more to God and will also spare you many sorrows that ordinarily come from seeking oneself and not God; 2. a holy tenacity in never omitting even a little of your daily prayer and your other spiritual practices will discourage the enemy from increasing the difficulty of doing them; 3. the decision always to begin again will close the door to discouragement . . .

Goodbye, Philip. I’m sorry to see you go.

When I was up-and-coming during my days as an editor and writer at Christianity Today—days we shared together as renegade writers, days when you were the prize, the back-page columnist that everyone looked to for inspiration about Christian struggle and how to actually live the Christian life—you were kind to me. You encouraged me. I remember that you especially took note of the article I wrote about the death of my father, which was called “How We Die.” You liked how I handled such an emotionally-charged topic; you thought my writing was “brilliant,” which, coming from you, meant something. Thanks for that. You said that someday you would see books in bookstores with my name on the spine next to books with your name on the spine. My writing name back then began with “Z” (as in Zoba), which, coupled with your last name beginning with Y, made it seem inevitable that the Y and Z combination would, at some point, be found in bookstores in conjunction one to another.

It turns out my books never sold well enough to be placed next to yours. It’s OK ; I’ve made it through well enough without the 15 million book sales that you were able to conjure. I salute you. You had a great touch and a unique way of expressing those complicated, conflicted, and sometimes muddied sentiments about trying to live an honest Christian life. All of this makes it all the more sad to say goodbye.

It’s impossible to know how all of this will turn out for you and how your decades’-long marriage will evolve. Regardless, it is certainly the end of the marriage as you knew it. Things will never be the same. Marriage in the Christian life is also muddy and complicated and there’s great sadness, trauma and permanent pain that comes along with the wreckage of a long-standing marriage. I know about such things myself.

The thing that troubles me more than the adultery itself— which, in evangelical circles these days, is becoming so predictable it’s almost a cliché — is the eight years. That tells me there was a commitment to it—that there were strategies involved to keep it going. It had to take a lot out of you to work at that, even while managing to write, publish, and speak from your influential platform as a much-loved Christian iconoclast. I can only say—wow. How were you able to fulfill such elevated public responsibilities while managing so many opposing distractions?

I’m sorry it ended this way. I’ll pray for you. I’m not praying it will all end well for you; that is unlikely. I’m not praying that everything will be all right and that people will show you magnanimity; such a result might not benefit your soul. I am praying that, whatever journey you’re on from this point on, will remit what you need to purify your heart. I’m praying that the pain you are enduring now and will endure till your life’s end, will cleanse your inner being so that — when you come into the presence of God—there will something of you left that can bear witness to the glory of it.

                                                     💥   H A P P Y   2 0 2 6 !  💥

My newsletter Toward Home is finishing its first year. Thanks for reading! And I give a special heartfelt thanks to my 🙏subscribers🙏!

I’ve covered a wide swathe of topics this past year, including reflections on spiritual direction, remembrances of great friends and champions, travel diaries, news and updates, and other random topics. I’m curious to know which of these types of reflections you are drawn to and would like more of. Please take the poll below!

As a special aside, in this coming year I will be republishing my novel, The Warrior King, which was originally published in 2011 with Ecco Qua Press. I will be posting introductory material in the coming weeks to orient you to the strange world of the Maya which you will be entering upon the reading of the book. Soon thereafter, I will publish the novel itself at the pace of one or two chapters a week. The first five chapters will be offered to all free of charge. Thereafter, however, the complete novel will be available to paid subscribers only.

You will soon start to see material related to fiction, the Maya, and the novel. Yet at the same time, I will continue to publish essays and reflections, perhaps even experimenting with other modes, such as audio or video.

Please let me know what you’d like to see in this space as, together, we make the journey “Toward Home.”

                                          👉 PLEASE  TAKE  THIS  POLL 👈

May God’s grace and provision cover you this new year and may his light shine ever more brightly before you.

One of the most unexpected, remarkable, wrenching, and riveting stories of the news cycle dominating the internet recently has been the battle that Scott Adams— Dilbert cartoonist and philosopher extraordinaire— has been waging to save his life. And he's brought all of us along with him. When I say "all of us,” I mean his internet fandom, those devoted listeners, friends, and supporters who tune into his daily podcast called “Coffee With Scott Adams” (CWSA), the vehicle through which we were first informed of and in turn riveted to the circumstances he’s facing and that we now, his listening friends, are facing with him.

Last May, more or less in conjunction with the unexpected announcement from Joe Biden that he was contending with stage-four prostate cancer, Scott Adams took the opportunity to piggyback an announcement about his own similar condition— metastasized prostate cancer was in the news per Joe Biden’s announcement, and Scott Adams continued the theme.

At that point, Scott disclosed to his listeners that his prostate cancer had progressed and metastasized into his bones and he was experiencing incapacitating pain. So much pain, in fact—as he himself described it—that he had reached the point where he was ready to “check out” (his words), probably in June. He lives in California where the law allows terminally ill patients to end their lives and he had not only supported that law, but was now planning to exercise the freedom rendered thereby in a matter of only weeks.

So with this stunning and shocking personal disclosure the internet host (as in “heavenly host”) became animated in a way that took Scott’s situation to new and unexpected levels. In a matter of days following the initial announcement— under a series of circumstances that were too detailed, nuanced and complicated for my level of engagement to follow—Scott's situation became known to people in high places, including the president and a little-known oncologist who was forging a new and highly successful paradigm for cancer treatment. Thus, it was also a matter of only a few days before a whole new plan came into Scott's purview and he suddenly found himself in the unexpected position of beginning to have hope. Granted, his cancer was very far along, and granted, he had already made the mental concession that his days were numbered. But being the optimist he is under his “reframed brain” orientation, he cast doubt to the wind and went forth boldly with this new possibility.

It turns out the level of care and the vigilance that attended his struggle changed the landscape of his situation utterly. His pain, at least for a time, went away and his body had relief sufficient to make room to attack this problem in a new way. His new treatment regimen, so far, has shown positive results and he’s been faithfully attending to his CWSA podcast daily even, if necessary amid medical interruptions. It's been evident over these months, that Scott himself has evolved psychologically to the place where—despite, in May, having already called in the prescription for the suicide medication—he is now fighting for his life.

His helpful and caring cohort tunes in every morning not simply to enjoy the “simultaneous sip,” as he calls it, but with added riveted curiosity to know the latest update. How is he doing? How is he feeling? Is his new protocol working? Can he still draw? With coffee in hand, this contingent of positive, faith-filled, and caring people, via social media, has rendered active support and has registered faithfully that they are pulling for him. It seems almost as if the whole world is pulling for him.

At one point, as he was addressing his audience with a medical update, he himself expressed his utter surprise at how what he deemed to be have been (at first) a matter-of-fact situational announcement, has transported him heart, soul, and body to a realm of sweet fellowship, goodwill, and grace of a kind that any one of us might only dream could happen even once in our lifetimes. He never imagined the kind of love he has received and that now fills his days. And he has reciprocated such love in his heart and he has used the word “love” in saying so to his audience.

What are we witnessing here? The power of a life reborn, the power of collective hope, the difference that “a possibility” makes in human reckoning (echoing Kierkegaard, “Procure me a possibility!”) The change that has come over Scott Adams through this metamorphosis has been remarkable to see: a man who was clearing his calendar to end it all, now, in a 180-degree turnaround, tells his listeners that his main focus is saving his life. In that effort, he updates us regularly on procedures; he takes us along in the ambulance as he’s being transported to various medical facilities; we are at his hospital bedside chatting, even as the nurse comes in to check vitals. (More recently, we’ve been given updates on his struggle with constipation.) He is keeping us informed and we are dying to know. We are in this together. It has taken on a dimension that somehow feels like Scott’s battle is every man’s battle. If he can beat this, then we all will have played a part and witnessed a power greater than the forces of death that seek to overthrow this troubled, broken world.

In the end, even if all this lends Scott another six months or six years (or more), he will nevertheless see the day when he lays down his pen and draws his final cartoon. Death takes us all. But the Scott Adams story has shown that there is something at work on this side of eternity that hints at a greater higher realm that even death’s boney clutch can’t reach. There is good will, fellowship and hope. And, hope— a great writer in the New Testament has noted — does not disappoint.

*

[Note: at this writing, Scott is undergoing radiation treatments to reduce the size of a tumor on his spine that has caused him to lose control over his lower extremities. To keep up with his treatment follow him on X at @ScottAdamsSays.]

In the aftermath of the September 10 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk (31) during a college event in Utah, I heard one commentator say: “Sometimes we need to do horrible things to stop horrible people from doing horrible things. We are living in a time of people doing horrible things.”

Kirk’s murder came on the heels of another equally shocking and horrifying slaughter of an innocent Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska (23), who was sitting alone on a seat in public transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina, quietly minding her own business, only to be approached from behind to have her throat slit in a random attack by a violent assailant, even as other passengers looked on passively. This beautiful young woman, who had sought refuge in our country, died a slow agonizing death alone on a dirty subway-car floor for all the world to see and attended to by no one.

These two shocking events, in tandem, have incited a level of upset that has changed the picture about the nature of political dialogue and how we—in this troubled world—can all “get along.” The public mood is not interested in “getting along.” People are crying out for action, for something to be done about the habits of slaughter and mayhem that are playing out unrelentingly on public platforms for all to see. The Kirk/ Zarutska murders seem to have become a tipping point of public outcry after a long line of shootings, stabbings, and other assaults on helpless and innocent victims. (It is worth pondering what continued exposure to such violent scenes does to a human soul.)

For all the visceral outrage expressed by the commentator noted above (and among many others on every side of this discussion), “doing horrible things to stop horrible people” presents, at the very least, a moral conundrum for the community of faith. A colleague, in his reflections, posted a sentiment expressed by King Theoden in Tolkien’s LOTR (the film): “What can men do against such reckless hate?”

The rising King Aragorn, in answer to Theoden’s plea, responded, “Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them.” It is my prayer that amid the chaos of this cultural moment, that people of good will can find a degree of measure and balance for the heartsick among us trying to navigate the abyss of living in a time of horrible things.

I've got a new book coming out in September: *Inner Healing the Franciscan Way, A Holy Re-Ordering of the Soul* with Paraclete Press. It is available for pre-orders both from Paraclete Press and on Amazon.

Please Note: I welcome those who might consider receiving a pre-release PDF for reading and reviewing on Amazon. As a thank you I will send you a signed copy once the book is released. Message me here if you’re interested.

I will be posting short excerpts and other snippets from the book in the coming weeks and welcome any questions or feedback.

Some of you may be aware that, among the various iterations of my vocation as a writer and editor, I am also the editor-in-chief of a new print magazine called, Ex Fonte (“from the Source”). Though it is generously sponsored by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary—it is not an “institutional magazine.” We have reached a milestone, completing the release of our first three issues (the third being our upoming June issue) and each of those issues has touched upon topics relevant and pressing for the modern Christian. The magazine has delivered biblically-grounded insights on a spectrum of contemporary topics through articles written by a wide swathe of journalists, thinkers and scholars. Each explores God’s work and the church’s role in our beautiful but troubled world. Our upcoming June issue, for example, explores in depth the impact of technology on our humanity and the community of faith.

A Sampling of our June issue:

• “Your Move, Humanity,” A conversation with Grok

  This lead article presents a conversation between Grok, an AI developed by xAI, and an unnamed pastor discussing the implications of human consciousness and technology. It questions the innate flaws in human nature and the potential for self-destruction and introduces the concept of Jesus as a solution to humanity's innate flaws, presenting a theological perspective on redemption versus technological fixes.

  

• God in the Noodles, by Alex Koh

  This reflection examines the intersection of technology, specifically AI, and the church's mission. It emphasizes the importance of human relationships in ministry while exploring how AI can enhance church operations without replacing the essential human touch.

• Two Cities, One that creates and one that cannibalizes, by professor Sean McDonough

  This piece explores the metaphorical representation of two cities in the book of Revelation: Babylon, symbolizing worldly corruption and rebellion, and the New Jerusalem, representing divine creation and purpose. The author discusses the implications of artificial intelligence within this framework, highlighting both its potential benefits and dangers.

• The Screen as Sacred Ground, Mister Rogers’ holy possibilities of electronic media, by Wendy Murray

  In this piece I reflect upon the profound impact of Fred "Mister" Rogers and his children's program in transforming a potentially toxic medium into one which sanctifies and heals. Fred Rogers believed in the potential of electronic media to convey positive messages and foster connection, contrasting sharply with the contemporary challenges posed by digital media.

• AI is Bad News for Atheists, A Conversation between Sean McDowell and John Lennox

  This conversation discusses Lennox's book 2084: AI Revolution and its implications for atheism, the nature of consciousness, and the philosophical challenges posed by AI.

• Beware of Dancing Cats, Resisting the Algorithmic Harvest, by Bradley Howell

  Here the writer highlights the way social media platforms are designed to capture users' attention through engaging content, often leading to addictive usage and wasted time.

Also in this issue:

• Christ in the Rubble, From Syria to Libya, Mideast Christians face extermination and U.S. policy is part of the problem, by Timothy C. Morgan

• The Black Church in the American Protestantism, by Nicholas Rowe

• Shroud of Turin Resurfaces in News, by Anne Shearer

In a time when the landscape of Christianity seems divided into warring camps where diverse communities are at odds one with another, Ex Fonte strives to bridge the divide, offering a space for generous, respectful dialogue among differing camps to unify a fragmented church.

We are a print magazine, still believing in the value of this tactile medium. So it will arrive in your mailbox (no need to log on!). You can find a comfy chair, put your feet up, and reflect leisurely upon the probing content you are reading. Engaging with print provides a respite from digital noise, inviting readers into a sacred space for exploring timeless truths.

We invite you to join a growing and vibrant community of readers, by subscribing, contributing feedback, and even pitching ideas to shape the conversation and grow together in the journey of faith. (You can pitch ideas at exfonte@gordonconwell.edu.)

For only $20, a year’s subscription brings three issues. And a subscription also makes a meaningful gift for friends or family.

It’s not too late to receive our June issue: Subscribe now!

Subscribe today and feed your spirit with content that uplifts, informs, and challenges.

Hi Friends,

I’m moving into my fifth month on shaping this platform and am interested to hear from you. I’ve written a variety of reflections here and plan to continue to do so. However, I’m curious to know the type of posts that resonate with you. I initiated my posts reflecting on elements of my “spiritual direction,” then began to integrate other pieces such as personal remembrances of great personalities I’ve known and interviewed, such as Fred “Mister” Rogers (there are more, trust me!). Beyond that, during the season of Lent, I ran a series of posts reflecting up my life in Assisi, Italy, where I lived when I wrote my biography of St. Francis. (There are more of those, as well, and other fascinating locales I’ve visited; see photo.)

I have many thoughts for what could be coming down the pike, but I am curious to hear from you about what piques your curiosity.

As an added note: I’ve recently signed a book contract to write a book about the spirituality of Mister Rogers and his Neighborhood, so these ruminations will be much on my mind.

Thank you for reading and please let me hear from you.

God bless you.

.