Opinion
‘Say It, Don’t Spray It’: When It’s OK to Get Close
We don’t like it when someone enters our personal space uninvited, especially when the invasion includes a projectile of spittle. Other times, a sense of too-closeness is OK when it involves race, sexuality or class, to name a few.
Here’s How Science Protects You From the Next Pandemic
Gain of Function Research, or GoFR, is the alteration of an organism in order to increase specific abilities for future study. GoFR represents science at its best, but safety measures need to be iron clad to avoid human error.
Wanting a Faith that Makes a Difference
This can’t be what Jesus died for. Christianity has become another holier-than-them club with membership dues and weekly activities while women in ministry, slavery and LGBTQ+ inclusion keep dividing the North American church.
Juneteenth: Observing a Modern-Day Jubilee
Juneteenth is a day for us to repent, reimagine and rejoice. Following the first Juneteenth observed as a federal holiday, let us advocate for a nation where resources are distributed equitably, and all people are treated fairly.
COVID-19’s Rude Awakening Boosted Community
COVID-19 has shown us that our lives are fragile. This rude awakening makes clear to us that we actually do live in community with each other. Rude awakenings may be unwelcome, but now we can engage with the day and all it offers us.
Even Death Valley Erupts with ‘Super Bloom’
Valleys represent the times when life has not turned out as we anticipated or hoped. Yet God reminds us that even Death Valley goes from dry, barren wasteland to vibrant fields of growing color: A place of beauty, a ‘super bloom.’
Southern Baptists Resist Rightward Drift for Now
In their first meeting since the onslaught of COVID-19, the Southern Baptist Convention tackled issues ranging from racial reconciliation, sexual abuse, abortion, ordained women and the supposed leftward drift of the convention.
Look Back | Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom from Slavery
Tracing its origin back to African Americans celebrating the end of slavery, Juneteenth has taken on even greater significance by uniting Americans and the world in honor of black lives and commemorating racial unity.
Southern Baptist Convention: Old Themes, Alternative Movements
Embroiled in yet another internal rift, the Southern Baptist Convention met this week. While the largely white and patriarchal SBC remains devoted to a rigid and exclusive faith, we must continue the hard work of love and justice.
The Continuance of Hiding Truths
US governors are signing legislation to make it illegal to teach Critical Race Theory, but the truth of racial injustice cannot be hidden. Healing will only happen when we boldly expose the injustice perpetuated by racist systems.
The American Mosque: Growing and Evolving
The number of mosques in the US has increased by 31% to nearly 2,800 last year, up from over 2,100 in 2010. They have given back to their communities every day through charity, service and interreligious cooperation and sharing.
God’s Cathedral
Where do you sense God’s presence most clearly? While many people find that sacred feeling inside monumental cathedrals, the glories of nature incite a different sense of wonder that point many toward thoughts of a creator.
Emerging Voices | Celebrating Black Freedom, Moral Imagination
Abraham Lincoln’s vision to imagine an America without slavery inspired millions. Our moral imagination must be like Lincoln’s – bold enough to fight against injustices in society that threaten the mutual flourishing of everyone.
Why I Don’t Do Dueling Bible Verses
Dueling Bible verses is a popular game among some Christians when they discuss controversial subjects. I no longer play this game, because there is never a good result.
A Feature of the ‘Big Lie’ Is Always with Us
An untruth can be so blatantly obvious, so public, and responses to it so bizarre and unbelievable that it earns the “Big Lie” label. It then becomes a defining featured of public conversation.
Don’t Read Society’s False Labels
Instructions. Labels. Price tags. I don’t read them, yet many others do. Stereotypes are like labels, ones that bear false witness. Many people rely on these labels to make sense of divisions and bank on additional privileges.
Why It’s Harder to See Your Family Doctor
Patients with a trusting relationship with a primary care provider are more likely to catch issues early and follow up with treatment. But we don’t have enough of these physicians for every American. Why? Two reasons, both economic.
Look Back | Breaking Down Walls of Power, Privilege
The dominant culture will offer forgiveness but seldom wants to relinquish the hold on power that privileges them. The walls of power and privilege must be torn down before any discussion of forgiveness can take place.
Greenwood, Come Forth! Reparations Now
At some point, the US needs to make reparations to the people groups whose lands were stolen, whose lives were enslaved and whose communities were shattered in order for white citizens to prosper. Greenwood is a perfect example.
Out-of-the-Box Ways COVID-19 Helped Our Congregation
The pandemic has been extremely difficult for clergy. One of the new ideas that became part of our congregational life was organizing Jewish programs on a statewide level in a way that was inconceivable prior to the pandemic.
Hospital Suspends 178 After Forced Vaccination Suit
On Tuesday, the Houston Methodist Hospital suspended without pay 178 of its employees who refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Earlier, more than 100 unvaccinated employees had sued the hospital over its vaccine mandate.
Trauma’s Long Reach Echoes for Generations
The remains of 215 children were found last month on the grounds of what was once Canada’s largest residential school for Indigenous people, who have had to experience the trauma passed down from one generation to the next.
Seriously Heirloom Crops
The next time you complain about making your dinner, remember our long-ago ancestors. Canaanite women would spend back-breaking hours rolling a rough milling stone back and forth to make flour. And that’s just the beginning.
How Gov’t Funding Spurs Vaccine Development
The US government has invested billions in vaccine development but doesn’t own any of the generated patents or have a right to the profits. It’s part of a public-private partnership, which has spawned numerous scientific advances.
Social-Media Critics Ignore Faces of Unemployment
Critics on social media – with their slew of posts, memes and gifs – disparage the extra dollars the unemployed receive as the cause of many of society’s ills. They forget that these are people and families struggling to survive.
‘Just 15 Minutes to Mourn’
As we return to normal in these days following more than a year of the pandemic, let us not forget those whose grief and other suffering extend beyond the time we tend to assign for them. Our sensitivity and care must be ongoing.
The Radically Inclusive Life of Rachel Held Evans
Rachel Held Evans would have turned 40 today. She became a prominent Christian blogger, author and speaker, who regularly rejected the biblicism, patriarchalism and homophobic ideas of the conservative Christianity of her youth.
Don’t Live Memories Others Choose for You
We all have memories we prefer not to recall, but it’s better to live the truth than keep up appearances of a lie. Some would ask us to deny our own memories so they don’t have to accept their own. There’s a word for that.
Emerging Voices | Rebuilding Deconstructed Lives
Some people who experience tragedy, trauma and turbulence find their belief systems have not been constructed to uphold the impacts of such occurrences. Here are 3 ways to help them navigate the lonely process to rebuild their lives.
Christian Ethics: The Hard Road of Doing Right
Ethics is not popular among church folks. It involves more than just knowing Scripture; it involves ‘doing’ Scripture, and that’s where so many stumble. Ethics asks the hard questions. And that’s why ethics is not popular.