MLK Day is Not a Time for Comfort

MLK Day is Not a Time for Comfort

I vividly remember the exact moment. I was in seminary, having fled my native South to New York City. I was embarrassed at being a Baptist, at being a white Southerner, and not entirely sure if I was a believer. But the “God question” wouldn’t go away. A mighty...
Epiphany’s Coup d’État

Epiphany’s Coup d’État

January 6, 2025, is the fifth anniversary of the attempted coup to overturn the formal congressional confirmation of November 2024’s presidential election results. It remains an open wound in our body politic. Its felonious instigator has thus far escaped conviction,...
In Praise of Minor-Keyed Advent Hymns

In Praise of Minor-Keyed Advent Hymns

In early adulthood, I developed a strong affinity for plaintive, minor-key Advent hymns, moving away from traditional Christmas carols as Advent stretched toward Christmas Eve. Plaintive music fits the mood of the mournful Jewish communities of first-century...
Putin, Trump, and the Wizard’s Spell

Putin, Trump, and the Wizard’s Spell

Apparently, it was tea and crumpets at the Vlad-and-Donnie showdown. You knew something was up when Our Dear President applauded Putin as he descended the stairs of the Russian presidential airplane—dwarfed next to Air Force One—onto a red carpet, no less. Putin, who...