The Regent Vine
Welcome to The Vine, a publication of Regent College.
We’re delighted to share ideas and perspectives from a wide range of people within and beyond Regent’s circles. In articles and interviews, podcasts and videos, you’ll hear authentic voices speaking from experience and expertise about ideas that matter to our community and yours.
Join us for conversations that inform, challenge, and inspire.
The Regent Vine
Welcome to The Vine, a publication of Regent College.
We’re delighted to share ideas and perspectives from a wide range of people within and beyond Regent’s circles. In articles and interviews, podcasts and videos, you’ll hear authentic voices speaking from experience and expertise about ideas that matter to our community and yours.
Join us for conversations that inform, challenge, and inspire.
The Regent Vine
Welcome to The Vine, a publication of Regent College. Join us for conversations that inform, challenge, and inspire.
Jun 12, 2026
Church/Parachurch
Society & Culture
Podcast: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church
Soong-Chan Rah
In this episode, Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reflects on the North American church’s call to move beyond Western cultural captivity and more fully embody the diversity of the global body of Christ. The conversation explores how worship, theology, and church life can better reflect the cultural richness of our communities, emphasizing the need for genuine diversity, faithful contextual expression, and deeper cultural awareness in a changing church landscape.
All Resources: Theology
Jun 3, 2026
Wade Even Deeper
Ross Hastings
In this convocation address on Book of Ezekiel 47, graduates are invited to “wade even deeper” into the life of God, pictured as a life-giving river. Tracing this image through Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the message calls for deeper spiritual formation, engagement with Scripture, and participation in God’s mission in the world.
May 28, 2026
Podcast: Christian Faith and Mental Healthcare
Warren Kinghorn
In this thoughtful conversation, psychiatrist and theologian Warren Kinghorn reflects on the intersection of faith, mental healthcare, and human experience, emphasizing the importance of understanding people as whole persons journeying through life in community with others.
May 26, 2026
The Harvest of the Spirit
Paul Spilsbury
In this Regent College chapel address on Galatians 5–6, Paul Spilsbury reframes the “fruit of the Spirit” as the communal “harvest” of God’s kingdom. Rather than individual self-improvement, the Spirit’s work is presented as the life of Christ taking shape within the Church through faithful participation, spiritual cultivation, and perseverance.
May 22, 2026
Video - Hopeful Realism: A Theology for & of Resilience
Gordon T. Smith
In this lecture, Gordon T. Smith explores what it means to cultivate resilient hope in a world marked by anxiety, suffering, and uncertainty. Rejecting both toxic positivity and despair, he reflects on hope as an essential Christian practice—one that sustains individuals and equips communities to encourage others with wisdom, honesty, and courage.
May 14, 2026
Surely Every Sunday is Ascension Sunday
Gordon T. Smith
This article argues that while Easter is central to Christian faith, the Ascension of Christ should be seen as the defining moment of the church’s life and worship. It explores how the Ascended Christ shapes worship, mission, and daily life, with Pentecost enabling believers to live in this reality.
May 12, 2026
The Son Went Up . . . and the Spirit Came Down: Lessons from the Ascent of the Son and the Descent of the Holy Spirit
Ross Hastings
This article explores Acts 1–2 to reflect on Christ’s ascension and the Spirit’s descent at Pentecost, highlighting Trinitarian relations, the distinct roles of Father, Son, and Spirit, and their significance for salvation, the church, and the ongoing mission of God’s kingdom.
May 7, 2026
Podcast: The Mysterious Manner of Flannery O'Connor
Karen Swallow Prior
In this conversation, Karen Swallow Prior explores the fiction of Flannery O'Connor, reflecting on themes of grace, suffering, satire, race, and the enduring relevance of O’Connor’s haunting vision of the American South. Together, they consider the role of Christian imagination in literature and why O’Connor’s stories continue to challenge and unsettle readers today.
May 5, 2026
Podcast: The Impact of the Colonial Period on Today’s Theology
Mabiala Kenzo
We speak with Mabiala Kenzo about how colonialism continues to shape Christian theology and the life of the church today. We explore its ongoing impact on both colonized and colonizing contexts, and we reflect on what it means to think faithfully about mission, history, and global Christianity in a postcolonial world.
Apr 30, 2026
Clothed in Glory: Learning to Embody Christ
Levi Shiach
Artist and Regent grad Freeman Lam explores embodying Christ through hand-sewn garments that reflect cultural identity, suffering, and spiritual encounter. His collaborative, tactile approach invites reflection on faith, community, and how Christ shapes our lived experiences.
Apr 28, 2026
Angels and Beasts: A Theological Approach to Animal Imagery in the Book of Kells
Bailey Hindmarsh
This article explores the animal imagery of the Book of Kells as a window into Celtic Christian theology, showing how creatures symbolized Christ, new creation, and the harmony between heaven, earth, and all living things.
Apr 24, 2026
Podcast: Faith, Work and Economics
Kara Martin, Paul Oslington
Exploring faith, work, and economics with Kara Martin and Paul Oslington, this conversation examines the sacred/secular divide, AI and inequality, global trade issues, and the church’s role in justice for workers. Both will be teaching Faith, Work & Economics (Summer 2026)
Apr 17, 2026
Podcast: The Good Life and Christ
Lisa Sung
Claire and Rachel reconnect with Dr. Elizabeth Sung for a Summer Programs 2026 preview, exploring spiritual formation, the good life, and themes of salvation, love, and shalom, alongside reflections on false gospels and insights from Scripture and theologians like Dallas Willard.
Apr 15, 2026
The Significance of Place in Lamentations and Song of Songs and What This Means for Human Flourishing
Brittany N. Melton Megan D. Alsene-Parker
What happens when place is lost, or deeply known? By reading Lamentations alongside Song of Songs, this *article reveals how land, body, and belonging are intertwined, and how true human flourishing depends on being rooted in place.
Apr 13, 2026
The Road to the Unknown: Reflections on Journeys of Faith
Diane Stinton
An exploration of journeys of faith through Scripture, story, and student experiences of global Christianity. Cross-cultural encounters reveal how identity, vocation, and vision of God’s kingdom are transformed as believers learn to embrace diversity, humility, and mystery.
Apr 6, 2026
Easter Monday: Is the Resurrection of Christ Truly Our Bottom Line?
James Houston
Medieval writer Gerard Zerbolt reflected on Christ’s resurrection as a call to transformation. Through contemplation of Easter events, he invited believers to move beyond sin, sharing in Christ’s victory and the hope of new life.
Apr 5, 2026
Easter Sunday: At the Open Tomb
James Houston
In a letter from prison, Fränz Jägerstatter rejoiced in Christ’s resurrection even amid suffering. Facing death for refusing Nazi service, he found hope in eternal life, urging faithful endurance and trust in God through each passing day.
Apr 4, 2026
Holy Saturday: The Goal of New Life
James Houston
Theologian Murray Rae reflects on the resurrection of the crucified Christ as the ground of hope amid suffering. Through Easter, God’s Word proclaims forgiveness, new life, and the promise that nothing can separate us from divine love.
Apr 2, 2026
Why Is Easter a Sacramental Celebration?
James Houston
Augustine reflects on Easter as a sacramental “passing over,” where Christ’s death and resurrection become present for believers. Drawn from Letters of the Faith through the Seasons, this piece invites readers into a living, communal faith rooted in the church’s tradition.
Apr 1, 2026
Ervine Sheblatzm: The Most Notable Theologian You’ve Never Noted
Hilary Guth
Explore the works of Prof. Dr. Ervine Sheblatzm, one of the most innovative Pauline thinkers in this or any multiverse.
Mar 30, 2026
Is There a Trauma-Informed Theodicy?
Rachel Hanna
Can theodicy comfort trauma survivors? This article critiques rational and casual explanations of suffering and proposes a trauma-informed, practical theodicy rooted in embodied, communal practices of lament, hospitality, and hope that bear witness to pain without silencing it.
Mar 27, 2026
Podcast: Bridging Cultures, Seeking Peace and Justice
Ruth Padilla DeBorst
This episode explores living between cultures, integral mission, and the relationship between evangelism, justice, and peace. It reflects on ecological justice, climate migration, and contextual theology, while inviting Western churches to learn from the resilience of global Christian communities.
Mar 25, 2026
Laughter: An Embodiment of Joy and Hope (A Reflection on Psalm 126)
Claire Perini
Psalm 126 reveals how laughter and tears coexist in the life of faith. Joy is not the absence of sorrow but hope rooted in God’s faithfulness. Laughter becomes an embodied expression of trust that restoration is coming—even when we are still sowing in tears.
Mar 16, 2026
Community: David Nacho - A Theological Conversation at the Well
David Nacho
Drawing on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, this article reflects on theological education in Latin America. It highlights how meaningful theological reflection emerges through vulnerability, dialogue, and community, drawing from the work of Community for Interdisciplinary Theological Education (abbreviated CETI in Spanish).
Mar 12, 2026
The Desperate Need for Deeper People
Emily Lange
A reflection on how shifting worldviews has shaped Western politics over five centuries. Arguing that secular humanism cannot sustain liberal democracy on its own, the essay calls for a “deeper revolution”—a recovery of theological anthropology and thoughtful engagement in public life.
Mar 10, 2026
Jesus in Space, Time, and History: Natural Theology and the Challenge of Talking about God
N. T. Wright
This article explores how historical study of Jesus reshapes natural theology. By examining Jesus within first-century Jewish history—through themes of temple, Sabbath, and future hope—it argues that God’s kingdom, new creation, and divine presence are revealed in Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.
Mar 4, 2026
From Apologetics to Cultural Witness
Barnabas Aspray
This article argues for moving beyond combative apologetics toward “cultural witness”—a posture of humble, truth-seeking testimony. Rather than trying to prove Christianity, believers are invited to illuminate life’s questions, hopes, and challenges through the light of the gospel.
Mar 2, 2026
Deep and Deeper Still
Ross Hastings
Drawing on Ephesians 4, this pastoral charge explores the deep and demanding call of ministry: equipping saints, cultivating unity, nurturing doctrinal and experiential maturity, and forming Christlike communities. Yet the resources are deeper still—our calling, gifts, creed, community, and Christ himself.
Feb 25, 2026
Decolonized Critical Thinking: Developing Critical Thinking Through a Decolonizing Pedagogy
Marcelo Vargas A.
This article explores decolonized critical thinking, showing how Indigenous perspectives, grounded in land, community, and emotion, reclaim knowledge, challenge imposed worldviews, and foster liberation. Thinking critically is framed as an ethical, embodied, and transformative practice.
Feb 23, 2026
Calling, Context, and the Church: From Belonging to Witness
Rhonda M. McEwen, Gustavo H.R. Santos
This article reframes calling as more than an individual career choice, grounding vocation in belonging to the Church and participation in the missio Dei. Drawing on Regent Exchange, it invites congregations and theological education to discern and embody a shared, contextual witness.
Feb 18, 2026
Shall These Bones Live? The Ash Wednesday Promise of Art
Iwan Russell-Jones
Drawing on Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones and T. S. Eliot’s "Ash Wednesday," this reflection explores how art, liturgy, and Christian imagination confront despair while bearing witness to creatureliness, repentance, and hope in a fractured cultural landscape.
Feb 17, 2026
How Does Christ Help Us Understand the Relationship Between Disability and Sin?
Devan Stahl
Looking to Christ’s incarnation, we must distinguish fallenness from sin. While human nature is fragile and subject to disability, sin belongs to the will, not the body. In assuming fallen humanity without sin, Christ reveals disability as part of loved, created finitude—not divine punishment.
Feb 13, 2026
Podcast: Language, Culture, and Calling
Jerry Hwang
In this conversation, Regent’s new Academic Dean reflects on his journey through IT, pastoral ministry, and academia. He highlights cultural context, language, and the Old Testament’s influence, urging students to pursue whole-person formation and cultivate relationships alongside intellectual growth.
Feb 12, 2026
Sport: Idolatry or the Image of God … or Both?
Ross Hastings
A theologian reflects on a life shaped by competitive sport, exploring its beauty, communal joy, and formative power—while also confronting its temptations toward idolatry, pride, and misplaced identity—in light of creation, the image of God, and the hope of Christ’s kingdom.
Feb 9, 2026
The Importance of Ritual Learning for the Development of Child Faith
Julie Cavanaugh
This article argues that age-segregated church practices weaken children’s faith formation. Drawing on theology and developmental research, it calls for including children in baptism and communion as formative rituals that apprentice faith through participation, not instruction alone.
Feb 6, 2026
Podcast: Christianity and Immigration Policy
Barnabas Aspray
Barnabas Aspray discusses how religious identity shapes immigration policy, drawing on history, theology, and his own experience as an immigrant to urge church leaders toward thoughtful, compassionate conversations across difference.
Jan 29, 2026
Perfection and Speech about God’s Character in the Old Testament
Matthew Lynch
Exploring Old Testament portrayals of God, this article challenges perfectionist theology that isolates divine traits like mercy or nonviolence, arguing instead for an embedded, relational understanding of God’s character grounded in Scripture.
Jan 28, 2026
Community: Diaspora Theology in Real Time: Technology and Transnational Community
David C. Chao, Ann Gillian Chu
Imagine Otherwise, the online magazine of Princeton’s Center for Asian American Christianity, hosts a podcast with Prof. Ann Gillian Chu on lived theology, Hong Kong’s political unrest, BN(O) migration to the UK, and its impact on faith, family, and community life.
Jan 21, 2026
The Fragrance of Life: Cinnamon in the Bible (Part Two)
Prabo Mihindukulasuriya
Cinnamon shifts from sacred symbol to moral warning and ultimate delight. Part Two traces its biblical journey from illicit seduction to celebrated love and imperial excess, revealing how Scripture uses scent to expose desire, devotion, and judgment.
Jan 20, 2026
The Fragrance of Life: Cinnamon in the Bible (Part One)
Prabo Mihindukulasuriya
Cinnamon appears only four times in Scripture, yet it carries rich theological meaning. Drawing on biblical texts and archaeological evidence, this first of two articles explores cinnamon’s ritual, sensory, and global significance in Israel’s worship.
Jan 19, 2026
A Slightly Useful Way: Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead and a Homiletic of Epistemic Humility
Drew Melton
Drawing on Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead, this essay explores how preaching shaped by epistemic humility—embracing mystery, complexity, and grace—can speak more faithfully and credibly to a skeptical age.
Nov 27, 2025
Three Bodies United in One: A Holistic Theology of the Body
Ross Hastings
A meditation on how the Lord’s Supper draws us back to who we are. Through Paul’s “three bodies,” the article invites readers to rediscover unity, worship, and identity anchored in Christ’s own life.
Nov 20, 2025
Quintessential Christian Humanist
Jens Zimmermann
J. I. Packer is remembered as a Christian humanist who saw faith as the path to full humanity. His Christ-centered vision united theology and culture, urging Christians to recover the gospel’s humanizing power and engage today’s questions of identity, dignity, and life in Christ.
Nov 12, 2025
Excerpt: The Glory of the Ascension
Ross Hastings
The ascension of Jesus, often overlooked, completes his atonement and inaugurates his ongoing intercession as High Priest. It enables believers’ devotional life, granting access to God, holiness, and perseverance, linking his finished work with our continual spiritual growth and worship.
Nov 5, 2025
Podcast: Twenty Years at the Intersection of Trauma and Theology
Shelly Rambo
A conversation with theologian Shelly Rambo on trauma, faith, and healing. She explores how Christian tradition helps us live with what remains unresolved, regain spiritual authority, and sustain community after harm.
Oct 21, 2025
Video: Judith Wolfe on Eschatology and Christian Hope | Walk & Talk
Judith Wolfe
A conversation tracing the development of Christian eschatology from New Testament hope to institutional doctrine, touching on art and philosophy as expressed by figures such as Dante and C.S. Lewis. Philosophical theologian Judith Wolfe reminds us that eschatology explores what is ultimately true for individuals and the world.
Oct 15, 2025
Video: Alexander Chow on Christianity and Chinese Identity | Walk & Talk
Alexander Chow
An interview on Christianity and Chinese identity. Chow reflects on his journey of faith, explores Christianity’s history in China, and examines its diverse, transnational expressions shaped by centuries of cultural and political change.
Sep 18, 2025
Video: A Wilkinson Theology of Soup
Loren Wilkinson Mary Ruth K. Wilkinson
Uncover the history and theology of Regent's most delicious tradition.
Sep 16, 2025
Must Theology Be Practical? Musings for Theology’s Current Moment
Graham Hoppstock-Matson
Theology bridges thought and practice, guiding believers to know God deeply and live faithfully, uniting mind and action in the life of the church.
Sep 16, 2025
Video: Mabiala Kenzo on Postcolonial Theology | Walk & Talk
Mabiala Kenzo Jessamin Birdsall
An interview on the significance of postcolonial theology for the renewal of Christian theology worldwide. Kenzo reflects on how perspectives from the margins can challenge and enrich dominant theological frameworks, and he shares his hopes.
Sep 16, 2025
Mother God: Theology Born in Pain
Yare Vargas
A mother reflects on how becoming a parent reshaped her understanding of God—not as a distant male figure, but as a suffering, enduring Mother. Through pain, exhaustion, and silence, she discovers a divine presence rooted in love, sacrifice, and the quiet strength of femininity.
Sep 16, 2025
Audio: Knowing God
J.I. Packer
In this talk, J.I. Packer reflects on his classic Knowing God (1973), originally developed from a series of articles. He emphasizes its central message: knowing God is not mere knowledge but a personal relationship of trust, response, and vulnerability.
Sep 16, 2025
A Mutual Exchange: Why Theology Needs the Church
Rhonda M. McEwen
The article calls for theology to be rooted in the lived experience of the local church, highlighting a contextual, practical, and dialogical approach. It urges theological institutions to engage with real-life issues through partnership with congregations, fostering “theology for life.”
Sep 16, 2025
Learning to Enjoy Joy: God’s Gift for Moments like This
Sebastian Dortch
A journalist caring for parents with dementia reflects on the deep challenges, mortality fears, and faith struggles this brings. Through Scripture, personal trials, and caregiving, he learns joy is not earned but gifted by Jesus, and often discovered in hardship and surrender.
Sep 16, 2025
The Invisibility of Religion in Contemporary Art
Jonathan Anderson
Religion has shaped modern art, yet art history often ignores it. This article urges deeper study of theology’s hidden role in contemporary art.
Sep 16, 2025
"Music for the Brain and Booty"
Jonathan Saunders
Snarky Puppy’s music blends groove, intellect, and community, resisting reductionist views of humanity. Rooted in gospel, it unites body and spirit, revealing transcendence through deep human experience and offering a vision of the image of God made whole.