cultural commentary Archives

Chronological Loneliness

Distant from my parents’ and their parents’ worlds, scrambling to understand my children’s world, I feel a kind of chronological loneliness. That’s the term I came up with to describe this feeling of floating between.

Debra RienstraSeptember 16, 2023

cultural commentary memoir

A Passel of Idiolectical Delights

We’re not talking about a language, or a dialect, or even current slang, but rather those little ways of speaking that are idiosyncratic to a particular person or family unit. In other words, the weird little turns of phrase that only you and maybe your…

Debra RienstraSeptember 2, 2023

cultural commentary review

The Barbie Movie: A Note to Young Women

But you, especially, young women, should go see this movie. Will it tell you everything you need to know about women’s history and feminism and the experience of being women today? No, it will not. But there are a couple moments in it where you…

Debra RienstraAugust 5, 2023

cultural commentary pop culture

Lie Detecting

I wonder: Would knowing when people are lying be a gift? Or would it just make life worse?

Debra RienstraMay 13, 2023

Calvin events cultural commentary memoir politics

Truth Listening in the American South

I’ll be processing this experience for a long time, but for now I'll share just a few key words that focused my thoughts during and after the trip.

Debra RienstraMarch 18, 2023

cultural commentary politics theology

The Best Story Wins

I want to focus on the power of meaning-making narratives. In the wearying events of the last few years, we’ve seen two tiny little denominations struggle to figure out (once again) what narrative we are living into. Is the future of our denominations a game…

Debra RienstraJuly 9, 2022

Calvin events college life cultural commentary

Lies We Tell Young People

It's a modern day Cinderella trope, isn’t it? The long-suffering, virtuous-and-talented high schooler is visited by a talent agent/scout/special teacher/fairy godperson who provides them with the means to zing through the Dress Ball of Admissions and be whisked off to Handsome Prince University, which of…

Debra RienstraApril 30, 2022

climate change cultural commentary spirituality

Unanswered Prayers

And so we pray. Or try to. Our prayers—well, mine anyway—seem awfully puny against the grand machinations of world events. Actually, my prayers also seem puny and ineffective against the small machinations of my own personal troubles. So I keep thinking about that line in…

Debra RienstraMarch 5, 2022

cultural commentary spirituality

Is Congregational Worship an Endangered Species?

My faith these days sometimes feels as thin and dry as that little wafer. So the presence of these familiar, faithful people—even if we can’t chat over coffee after the service—that presence feels like a balm. This whole pandemic disaster has taught me—probably many of…

Debra RienstraFebruary 5, 2022

climate change cultural commentary

Epiphany at the World’s Many Ends

This week, I’ve been accidentally observing Epiphany season by following a strict regimen of anxiety-producing activities. This was not my intention. But if you, too, would like to induce a nice bout of depression-anxiety, I have a proven and effective plan for you.

Debra RienstraJanuary 8, 2022

cultural commentary

Chronological Loneliness

A Passel of Idiolectical Delights

The Barbie Movie: A Note to Young Women

Lie Detecting

Truth Listening in the American South

The Best Story Wins

Lies We Tell Young People

Unanswered Prayers

Is Congregational Worship an Endangered Species?

Epiphany at the World’s Many Ends

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