Opinion
The Debt America Refuses to Pay: Part 1
I am one of the more than 30 million descendants of American slavery. U.S. society has done nothing to compensate the descendants of enslaved persons for 250 years of unpaid labor.
How We Remember the Legend of St. Patrick Matters
St. Patrick preached against idol worship and greed and centuries later, the holiday has taken on a new identity.
Look Back | Baptists, Women and the American Suffrage Movement
From the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls to the ratification of the 19th Amendment 72 years later, Christian religion and women’s suffrage kept close, if not always cordial, company.
The Human Cost of War
While we have been inspired by the resolve and resilience of the Ukrainian people as they stand toe-to-toe with an evil aggressor, we need to remember and reflect on the human cost of war.
Global Nursing Shortage Must Be Addressed Equitably
As the world faces a nursing shortage, wealthier nations are recruiting from lower-income nations to address needs. Is this being done equitably? Or is it hurting nations with the greatest need?
Trying Not to Make God Look Bad
Whatever else you do in your pastoral practice and preaching, try not to make God look stupid. That’s a key lesson I emphasized to my seminary students, and it is a lesson all Christians should follow.
Lenten Lectionary | Singing in the Shadow of God’s Wings
Psalm 63 vibrates with emotional intensity and assumed intimacy. It offers insight on journeying through life’s parched episodes and on singing in the shadow of God’s wings.
What Jesus Learned from the Woman with the Alabaster Jar
Jesus learned from most of the challenges he faced and people he encountered. His encounter with one unnamed woman had a profound impact.
Let’s Not Practice Our Liturgical Rightness Too Proudly
It’s easier to point out the flaws in others than to take a sober assessment of our own shortcomings. Are there ways that the attitudes of moderate-to-progressive Christian churches run counter to Jesus’ warning in Matthew 6?
Reliable Medical Research Vital to Public Health
“Follow the science” has been the mantra throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, flawed research methods and retracted publications from medical journals have created confusion and mistrust.
Where You See Jesus Reveals How Faithfully You Follow Him
Christians are called to identify with suffering – not only with Christ’s pains but also the world’s groaning. If we don’t, we should begin to question what we call discipleship.
How Greed Affects Us All
We live in a society that doesn’t talk much about sin, but one deadly sin — greed – has begun to affect me and others in ways that I don’t like. How does the story end?
Is There a “World Without End”?
Conservative Christians often focus mostly on life after death, while progressive Christians often focus more on working for justice here and now. Is there a position to be found between these extremes?
Understanding Zelenskyy’s ‘We Will Not Forgive. We Will Not Forget.’
“We will not forgive. We will not forget.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proclamation alludes to several historic events – from President Joe Biden’s statement following a Kabul airport attack to Olga Bergholz’s World War II-era poem.
Why I’m Stopping to Grieve on March 13
March is a hard month now, with it being the time when we came aware of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Here is why I’m stopping to grieve on March 13.
I’m a Man and a Feminist
Patriarchy has controlled social and religious institutions through self-serving manipulation and theological malpractice for far too long. Here are a few reasons why I am a feminist.
What Russian Control of Key Ukrainian Nuclear Facilities Could Mean
Russia now controls two of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, one of which currently is without power. What does this mean for Ukraine’s energy supply but also for the world’s safety and security?
Emerging Voices | How to Respond to Disaster Trauma
The number of disasters I’ve seen in just the past few months doesn’t feel real. If the adage is true, that “when it rains, it pours,” then it feels like we’re in a monsoon.
Family Matters
At the end of a hall-of-fame career, Duke University’s “Coach K” focused not on his accomplishments but on his family. This offers lessons to both individuals and communities of faith.
Lenten Lectionary | It’s Not Easy Being Human
Global headlines and personal crises present us with unsettling realities that remind us of a universal truth: it’s not easy being human. Faced with such challenges, the Bible gives us hope that all will be well.
Imagination is Our Medicine
Imagination is essential to creating a different, better world. In order to #BreakTheBias, we must put in the work required to shift our individual and collective paradigms.
Devaluing Women is Mistreatment of the Bible as Well
On International Women’s Day, my mind goes first to the courageous women I met in migrant shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border recently. In many cases, they were facing no options without great risks.
Admitting Implicit Biases Is the First Step to ‘Break the Bias’
Admitting one’s implicit biases can be a really painful thing to do. It feels shameful; it feels embarrassing. It’s also the first step toward social change.
Why We Must Become Aware of Internalized Sexism
Watching President Biden’s first State of the Union address, a thought crossed my mind that surprised me. It was an expression of internalized sexism that we must all become aware of as we work for equity and justice.
Why You Should Give Up the Façade for Lent
Tis’ the season to be melancholy. There is too much suffering in the world to deny the pain that we are all experiencing. So, here’s one thing we should give us this Lenten season.
Adding Women’s Voices Today to a Timeless Story
Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day, offer an opportunity to consider the women who have been overlooked or ignored. Let’s begin asking, “Who haven’t we eulogized? Whose stories haven’t we elevated?”
Why Do Human Views of Women Differ from the Divine?
The Quran makes clear that all people will be held accountable and compensated for our deeds equally. So, why does the Divine’s view differ from some human views on the rights and status of the female?
Faith Leaders Gather in NYC to Pray for Ukraine, Peace
As Russian bombs continue to drop in Ukraine and over a million refugees cross the borders, faith leaders from around the world gathered in person and virtually at the Church Center for the United Nations to pray and demand peace.
Say Her Name – Remembering Women Outside the History Books
Services like Ancestry.com have grown in popularity as more people want to learn about their family history. On International Women’s Day, let’s be sure to remember and give thanks for the women in our lives.
The World United in Prayer for Ukraine
Worshippers approached one of three altars at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church to make the sign of the cross and light a candle. It was the first Sunday after the Russian invasion.