Opinion
Three Events that Clarify the SBC’s Trajectory
Three somewhat recent events clarify the trajectory of the Southern Baptist Convention. Each demonstrates how fundamentalism is a creaking, old, withering ship in a sea of change.
Look Back | Jesus Embraced Vulnerability to Unite with the Vulnerable
Jesus lived a very vulnerable life. He was not immune to or protected from the challenges that the people of his time confronted every day, especially those persons at the bottom of the embedded social and religious structures of Palestine.
The Bell Tolls on Climate Change
The bell is about to toll on climate change, as the United Nations warned the world that we have less than a decade to meet an essential goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. With climate catastrophe less than a decade away, leaders must implement strategic actions alongside their hopeful rhetoric.
Lenten Lectionary | We Are Collaborators
The season of Lent is a paradox in many ways. We wait and we work. We examine ourselves and we journey together. Ultimately, we remind ourselves that God is here. Yes, even here.
Ron DeSantis, God’s Protector (According to the DeSantis Bible)
South of the Georgia border one weekend early last year in Florida, evil made a real appearance in the form of Neo-Nazis waving swastika flags and yelling “White Power!” Pressed to condemn the Nazis, Florida governor Ron DeSantis refused.
The Exasperation of Talking Truth With Those Who Confuse It With Comfort
Many have become comfortable with the embrace of untruths, including a large number who profess to be Christians. How do we advance truth in a cultural setting in which truth is not highly valued?
Unhealthy Church Leadership Hurts
Churches are filled with the “walking wounded,” people whose lives are affected by life challenges and traumas. They put on a happy face and dress to look their best, but underneath they are hurting.
Why We Need a Mystical Spirituality of ‘Somebodiness’
We need a mystical spirituality of “somebodiness.” Not to be confused with celebrity status or self-righteousness, there is a need for a deep sense of knowing who we are as human beings.
By the Way | The Exhilaration of Archival Research
Archival research is great fun, offering a kind of treasure hunt – although the best discoveries are the ones you find along the way. Here are a few interesting findings related to Billy Graham, politics and evangelicals that I discovered recently.
What Contributes to Happiness?
I have never met anyone with perfect circumstances, or anyone who constantly lives in a state of perpetual bliss and ecstasy. So, what really makes a person happy? Here are five traits I’ve observed in happy people.
Lagging Behind 2,000 Years Later
Handling social issues is a problem for many Christians today. A woman’s place in society is such an issue. Here is what the Bible has to say about this matter.
Lent’s Labor: Practicing Silence – Part 3
“¡Silencio!” is our Lenten watchword. The silence to which we are called is practiced amid the rubble, as we listen for the faint cry of survivors from earth’s trauma and human atrocity.
Emerging Voices | Why Change Agents in the Church Are Essential
There can be little debate that religion is steadily declining in America. Rather than continuing with “business as usual,” churches need to boldly challenge preconceptions and activities for a different level of thinking.
Lent’s Labor: Searching Darkness – Part 2
Scripture has a pronounced bias favoring “light” and opposing “darkness.” But there’s a minority report as well, where the Holy One is encountered in darkness.
Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives Matter
Diversity, equity and inclusion programs are under scrutiny in Florida and Texas, where their governors want to end these emphases. A recent episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on this topic prompted reflection on why DEI is important.
Finding Awe
We may think of “awe” as being completely overwhelmed, flabbergasted or awestruck by some amazing event. But awe is wider than that. And it is good for you.