Why October’s Second Monday Needs an Accurate Poem and New Focus

by Starlette Thomas | Oct 11, 2021 | Opinion|The Raceless Gospel Initiative

The calendar on my iPhone now has two holidays listed on the same day. Monday, Oct. 11 is both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I choose not to celebrate the former for his attempted genocide of the latter. I’m bursting awkward silence conversation bubbles...

How You Can Lose Your Faith in Church

by Starlette Thomas | Sep 13, 2021 | Opinion|The Raceless Gospel Initiative

I trust God but I have my doubts about the North American Church. Worse still, its response to my lack of faith in the institution troubles me. The reflex is to protect the institution and not the sheep. It is not that church leaders and lay people are not aware of...

Can the Church Be Trusted to Handle Jesus?

by Starlette Thomas | Sep 7, 2021 | Opinion|The Raceless Gospel Initiative

“I trust Jesus to handle the church. I’m not sure I trust the church to handle Jesus.” The author is unknown but the sentiment is shared by many. Christians have to get Jesus’ story straight if we are to ever get on the same page. We share in common a sacred text, but...

Building Community Is Hard, But Essential Work

by Starlette Thomas | Aug 23, 2021 | Opinion|The Raceless Gospel Initiative

Summer is coming to a close, and parents are preparing for another school year unlike any other. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 continues with the Delta variant, putting masks back on faces and on school supply lists. We are learning more than reading, writing and...

Churches Have a Faith Problem: Not Believing Women

by Starlette Thomas | Aug 16, 2021 | Opinion|The Raceless Gospel Initiative

For all of the faith that its leaders claim to espouse, the church has its doubts. The majority of its members do not believe women — no matter what she is talking about. We believe that God speaks to us, that God will heal us and deliver us but cannot believe that...

In Church and Politics, Words Can Hide Insidious Aims

by Starlette Thomas | Aug 2, 2021 | Opinion|The Raceless Gospel Initiative

If you want to know if your church believes in democracy, then go to a church business meeting. Pay attention to who is handing out the minutes, giving the financial report and moderating the meeting. Take note of who is sitting on several committees, namely the...