“An issue of Realistic Living is like the breath of the Holy Spirit on paper.”
Richard Clark, Salem, Indiana
Realistic Living: A Journal on Ethics and Religion is published twice a year, July and November, and mailed to over 400 friends and contributors. Each 16-page 8 1/2″ X 11″ issue contains reflections, essays, book reviews, movie reviews, and sometimes poetry on current ethical issues and on topics of Christian resurgence, including dialogue with other religious expressions. With this journal we are filling a gap in religious and ethical publishing-more secular than the religious press, more religious than the secular press. We are concerned to illuminate time-tested wisdoms in contemporary metaphors and stories.
For a complimentary copy of our last published full-color journal, enter your information on our Contact Us page.
Here is a listing of some of the topics contained in recent Journals and the URLs for downloading each of these recent journals:
In the November 2023 Journal
An Echo from the Past
a response by Gene Marshall
The Princess and the Fox
a fairy tale by Joyce Marshall
Forgotten Love
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Love
Interpretation by Alan Richard
In the July 2023 Journal
Stuff
A personal memoir by Joyce Marshall
The Co-Pastor Circle
a new wineskin by Gene Marshall
Our Souls at Night
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
James Baldwin: Collected Essays
a book review by Alan Richard
In the November 2022 Journal
Discovering Religious Integrity
a personal Memoir by Joyce Marshall
Freedom and the Long View
a bit of political theology by Gene Marshall
The Dust Bowl: a Ken Burns documentary
a review by Joyce Marshall
Polities in a Time of Tyranny
Tillich and Snyder by Alan Richard
In the July 2022 Journal
Living in the Land of Mystery
religious philosophy by Gene Marshall
Felline Familiars.
a cat obituary by Joyce Marshall
The Roosevelts: a Ken Burns documentary
a review by Joyce Marshall
Grief, Mourning, & Freedom
a political witness by Alan Richard
In the November 2021 Journal
What is Theology?
religious theoretics by Gene Marshall
Integration at 65 and 87
memoirs by Joyce Marshall
Poem and Fairy Tale
conversation probes by Joyce Marshall
The Fortunes or Nigel-Scott
a review by Joyce Marshall
Holocaust Center Work
a report by Alan Richard
In the July 2021 Journal
Breaking Boundaries?
theologing for now by Gene Marshall
The Cook, The Sorceress & The Pig
a fairy tale by Joyce Marshall
The End of the Keystone XL Pipeline
a victory report by Alan Richard
The Two Popes
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2020 Journal
Freedom and Hope
theologing for now by Gene Marshall
Oona and the Dragon
a fairy tale by Joyce Marshall
James Baldwin’s Witness
an antiracism dialogue by Alan Richard
Just Mercy
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
The Soul of America by Jon Meacham
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the July 2020 Journal
The Thinking Christian
a landmark publication by Gene Marshall
Fairy Tales
stories that reflect on our lives by Joyce Marshall
The Uncanniness of Prophecy
a time of slaughter by Alan Richard
Grant
a 3-part miniseries review by Joyce Marshall
Becoming by Michelle Obama
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2019 Journal
The Spirit of the 2020s on Planet Earth
anticipating the next decade by Gene Marshall
The Role of Religion in Human Affairs
theologizing by Gene Marshall
The Time of our Singing by Richard Powers
a novel review by Joyce Marshall
The Viet Nam War by Ken Burns
a documentary review by Joyce Marshall
Conscious Loving Ever After
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the July 2019 Journal
Reflections on a Life Journey
from the journals of Joyce Marshall
Rocketman
a movie review by Alan Richard
Esential and Political Freedom
political theologizing by Gene Marshall
Bohemian Rhapsody
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Overstory by Richard Powers
a novel review by Joyce Marshall
In the Nomember 2018 Journal
The Meaning of Revelation
a theologizing by Gene Marshall
Beyond the King on High
report on the God Seminar by Alan Richard
Woodstock by Sir Walter Scott
a novel review by Joyce Marshall
RBG, a documentary on Ruth Bader Ginsburg
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Becoming Animal: An Early Cosmology by David Abrams
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the July 2018 Journal
God Questions
a theological query by Gene Marshall
The Superhero Renaissance
superhero stories of confession by Alan Richard
Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling
a novel review by Joyce Marshall
Film Stars Dong Die in Liverpool
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
The Unbelievble Happiness of Being by Jon Bernie
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2017 Journal
The Enigma of Depravity
a theological paradox by Gene Marshall
The Wonder Woman Myth
an alternative superhero by Alan Richard
Scripture Conversations
a religious practice spin by Gene Marshall
Dunkirk
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
The End of White Christian America by RP Jones
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the July 2017 Journal
Dangerous Years
a conversation with David Orr by Gene Marshall
Religion and Politics
a fresh 2017 look by Gene Marshall
Rural Organizing as a Spirit Practice
some social theologizing by Alan Richard
Hidden Figures
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Out of Your Mind by Alan Watts
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2016 Journal
Christian Theologizing and Politics
living this transition realistically by Gene Marshall
Realistic Living & Radical Theology
a tribute to Joyce and Gene Marshall by Alan Richard
Sojouring in Bonham Texas
highlights and poetry by Pat Webb
Dangerous Beauty
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Love Poems from God
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the July 2016 Journal
Falling Apart Together
on Christian community by Alan Jay Richard
Godly Hope
theological story-telling by Gene Marshall
A Six-Course Curriculum
in unreduced realism by Gene Marshall
Ordinary Freedom by Jon Bernie
a review and personal witness by Joyce Marshall
Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich
a book review by Gene Marshall
In the November 2015 Journal
Women and Patriarchy
finding our truth by Joyce Marshall
The Demise of Patriarchy
a continuing journey by Gene Marshall
Small Group Meetings
nurture means by Joyce Marshall
The Ultimate Reality (May and Greulich)
a review of educational videos by Alan Richard
A Fighting Change by Elizabeth Warren
a book review by Gene Marshall
In the July 2015 Journal
You? Are? Accepted?
a look into ourselves by Gene Marshall
Julian’s Delight
don’t despair over your despair by Gene Marshall
The Theory of Everything
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Listening to the Heart by Kittisaro and Thanissara
a book review by Joyce Marshall
This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein
a book review by Gene Marshall
In the November 2014 Journal
Relating to the Mystery of Life
an interreligious spin by Joyce Marshall
A Next Christianity in an Interreligious Era
a view of the future by Gene Marshall
Religion-Getting the Job Done
a call to action by Alan Richard
The Spectacular Now
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
No god but God by Reza Aslan
a book review by Alan Richard
In the July 2014 Journal
Why That Forbidden Tree?
a dialogue with Julian of Norwich by Gene Marshall
Christian Life Together
a call to communal practice by Gene Marshall
X-Men: Days of Future Past
a movie review by Alan Richard
Fosse by Sam Watson
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2013 Journal
The Most Misunderstood Phrase in the Bible
a mini-sermon by Gene Marshall
Getting Started
a kind of parable by Alan Richard
Le Havre
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Far from the Tree by Andrew Solomon
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the June 2013 Journal
The Death of the Death of God
a sermonette by Gene Marshall
Walking on Water
on a healing event by Alan Richard
The Lone Ranger
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
The Rule of Benedict by Joan Chittister
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2012 Journal
Disappointment & Bodily Resurrection
on loving reality by Alan Richard
The Theology of Realistic Living
foundational thought by Gene Marshall
Hope Springs
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the June 2012 Journal
No More Capitalism or Socialism
an ethical clarification by Gene Marshall
Jesus and Christianity
a theological spin by Gene Marshall
Fair Game
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2011 Journal
Patriarchy, Radical Feminism &
the Future of Christianity
a talk by Joyce Marshall
Radical Monotheism
a theological spin by Gene Marshall
Drive
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Relational Realilty by Charlene Spretnak
a book review by Gene Marshall
In the June 2011 Journal
Christian Theology after the Death of Myth
an sermonette by Gene Marshall
Rabbit Hole
a movie reveiw by Joyce Marshall
Mary Daly, Radical Feminism & Religion
8 book reviews by Joyce Marshall
Agora
a movie review by Alan Richard
In the November 2010 Journal
Maintaining Hope in a Fallen World
an Advent meditation by Gene Marshall
Friday Night Lights
a TV reveiw by Joyce Marshall
Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet by Bill McKibben
a book review by Joyce Marshall
Strange Wonder by Mary-Jane Rubenstein
a book review by Alan Richard
In the June 2010 Journal:
Teach Us to Pray
a sermonette by Gene Marshall
The Enigma of Prayer
a philosophical spin by Gene Marshall
Smallville, Seasons One Through Nine
a TV review by Alan Richard
Confession of a Buddhist Atheist: by Stephen Batchelor
a book review by Joyce Marshall
In the November 2009 Journal:
There Are No Masters Anymore
a sermonette by Gene Marshall
Ideology is for Idiots
a political commentary by Gene Marshall
Capitalism a Love Story
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life by Robert Reich,
a book review by Gene Marshall
In the June 2009 Journal:
There is No Such Thing as Progressive Christianity
a sermonette by Gene Marshall
Democracy is Coming to the U.S.A.
a political commentary by Gene Marshall
The Reader
a movie review by Joyce Marshall
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution by David Quammen,
a book review by Joyce Marshall
For a complimentary copy of our last journal, enter your information on our Contact Us page