Opinion
Systemic Racism, Caste and the Global Pandemic: Part Two
What does the caste system of systemic racism have to do with the global pandemic? Such systems create disparities in the health status of individuals that is the result of unequal treatment based on caste.
Systemic Racism, Caste and the Global Pandemic: Part One
Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste describes systemic racism as a caste system. This choice of language fits well with my experience, and her argument is compelling that the impact of caste remains in play today.
Name-Calling Derives from Lack of Love, Truth and Justice
Two Baptist pastors used the term “Jezebel” in reference to Vice President Kamala Harris. Such name-calling has a long, tragic history in the U.S. that is deployed when the speaker doesn’t have love, truth or justice on their side.
Our Words Hold the Power to Bring Life or Death
Words have power – to build up or to tear down, to bring life or destruction. The Jan. 6 insurrection reveals the true potency of our speech. Let’s use them wisely.
Walter Rauschenbusch’s Concern for Justice
Conscience and compassion drove Rauschenbusch’s passion for justice. Advocating for distributive justice, he sought to create a social order that placed the common good of all above the economic profits of a few.
Do God’s Promises Extend to Savlanut, Sarah and Tseba?
Ever heard of Savlanut, Sarah and Tseba? Though not identified in the Bible, these could have been the names of the wives of Noah’s sons. They needed to know, just like women today, that God’s promises are for them.
The Cold Reality of Climate Change
Temperatures plummeted across the U.S. this week when a polar vortex swept across the nation, leaving millions without power. We must act now to address climate change, which is causing both extreme warm and cold weather patterns.
The Azan Is a Call to Both Prayer and Justice
Social justice is provocative and alarming, shocking the world into a better place. It is at the very heart of The Prophet Muhammad’s message and is a central part of the Islamic creed.
Sneaking Off to Mass and Returning with a Face Tattoo
A boy in my mom’s preschool told his parents about her “face tattoo” after she returned from Ash Wednesday Mass. What if our ashen crosses really were tattoos? What would they say about us?
Would Jesus Wear a Seat Belt?
While the Bible says remarkably little about wearing seat belts or speeding, it has a lot to say about caring for others and working for the common good. Let’s ensure our daily actions exhibit conscious caring.
Holiness Code Envisions Communal Justice
The Holiness Code is not simply about how one person can live a holy life, but how a community can become holy. As Jews, we are taught that we should not be satisfied with the world as it is but strive for a world as it ought to be.
Christian Justice: Between Civic Religion and Christian Nationalism
In working for a just social order, Christians must avoid capitulation to civic religion on one side, and Christian nationalism on the other. The Christian desire for justice turns to a different path: local commitment and sacrifice.
Unlearned Lessons about Religion and Power
Some religious leaders have been quick to capitulate to political power throughout history, conferring assurance of God’s blessings in exchange for favor and privilege. Such “court evangelicals” remain prominent today.
Some White Christians Demand Accountability, but Only for Others
Some white Christians in the U.S. speak a great deal about accountability but apply it selectively. When others seek to hold them accountable, they talk about grace, all the time that is past, and the confusing arithmetic of justice.
Technology Is a Tool, Not the Church’s Salvation
The pandemic has forced all congregations to adapt, implementing approaches and using technologies some had resisted previously. While technology is a helpful tool, it is not the church’s savior.
Be Kind: A Simple Practice to Change the World
Kindness is a simple concept that, when put into practice, can make the world a more humane place. Let’s seek to do this kind of living, demonstrating a better way to our children.
Progress on U.S. Racial Relations Becoming Less Evident
Fewer U.S. adults affirmed progress in racial relations in late 2020 than six years ago, a report found. More than half of respondents said racial relations became more strained under the Trump administration.
Freedom of Speech Is Not the Absence of Responsibility
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are citing the First Amendment in his defense at the Senate impeachment trial. While freedom of speech is a sacred right, this argument fails at the point of legal precedent, as well as honest assessment and application.
Pandemic Has Changed Grieving Rituals
COVID-19 has changed much of the grieving process rituals we once carried out, so how can we walk with the grieving during these extraordinary days of loss? Here are four pathways that adapt pre-pandemic rituals.
Don’t Let Politeness Keep You from Confronting Lies
Poor thinking skills and blatant lies are widespread in society today, particularly on social media. A desire to be polite should not prevent us from confronting falsehoods with facts. We have a responsibility to call out mistruths.
Is Our Number One Problem Really Number Two?
Online advertisements make all sorts of outlandish claims, ranging from clickbait headlines to dietary supplement promotions to conspiracy theories. People of faith should be more discerning, able to recognize truth from lies.
Five Common Misconceptions When Talking about Race
Talking about race can help expel its toxins. But there are several misconceptions that have to be identified and addressed. Here are five.
Breadmaking Fosters Virtual Community During Lock-Down
A 112-day lock-down in Australia ended in late 2020. To cope with isolation, many turned to breadmaking and fostered community by sharing the results online. Beyond the pandemic, where can this sense of life together lead us?
Baptist Pastors Need Reintroduction to Jesus
Two Baptist pastors who called Vice President Kamala Harris “Jezebel” received little news coverage and few public denunciations from fellow Baptists. Their racial slur demonstrates both cultural incompetence and a need to be reintroduced to Jesus.
What Is Love Asking of Us Now?
We live in a time of bitter division, which has brought out the worst in us. In the current political and social climate, people of faith must consider what love is asking of us now.
I Didn’t Sign Up for White Christian Nationalism
I had already started following Jesus when I realized that something didn’t look, feel or sound right. If race, racism, white nationalism, toxic masculinity and insurrection are part of Christian discipleship, then cross my name off.
Look Back | Magic Words
Words have power. One could almost say they are magic. Let’s give attention and care to what we say so that our speech brings hope and healing.
Lessons from ‘GameStopped’ Wall Street
A surge of individual investors buying stock in GameStop frazzled hedge fund managers and disrupted Wall Street last week. Such events should remind people of faith that in God’s economy, justice and equity abound.
When Things Make No Sense, Look for ‘Transmogrifiers’
Words can be ‘transmogrified’ by the people who use them, causing terms to take on a meaning that makes little sense to others. ‘Religious liberty’ is one concept that now has conflicted meanings.
White Christians Present Obstacle to End White Supremacy, Religious Nationalism
White professing Christians are the main obstacle to overcoming religious nationalism, white supremacy and racial injustice in the U.S. Despite such opposition, people of color are pressing ahead with efforts to dismantle systemic racism.