Opinion
US Parents’ Worry Spikes as School Year Nears
The number of US parents wanting in-person schooling for their kids this fall is decreasing, while worry about kids contracting COVID-19 is growing, a Gallup report said. Only 36% of all parents want the in-person option.
No Playing Politics with Our Kids’ Health
When legislators can’t ensure the safety of educators and students with real dollars, we can’t reopen our schools. Parents must stand with educators to demand more. Life, health and the common good are worth it.
Elementary Answer to Opening Schools Now
As the time for school openings draws near, two recent publications should be sufficient to give anyone serious pause about sending children into a face-to-face classroom setting. The answer is elementary.
Public Education: The Cornerstone of Democracy
Public education is the cornerstone of a healthy and virtuous democracy, but it’s facing its greatest hostile attack. As right-wing religious and political elitists undercut education for all, the foundation of US democracy shakes.
Sexual Abuse at Bellevue: No Consequences
A church staffer at Bellevue Baptist, a Southern Baptist megachurch, sexually abused a teen and showed her sexually explicit photos of her own mother. That’s only the latest in this church’s troubling history.
University Salvages Buried Archaeology Program
Citing financial hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic, the president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary eliminated the archaeology program, firing its director and other faculty. There is a happy ending, however.
3 Tough Steps to Make Our Classrooms Safe
With COVID-19 continuing to spike in many communities, in-person school reopening simply poses too great a risk for school children, teachers and staff to return. While no path is perfect, we must take these three steps now.
Martha: A Biblical Case for Protesting
Martha’s protest to Jesus over the death of her brother declares the same message as the Black Lives Matter’s movement. It is why the church must stand alongside and listen to those on the frontlines marching for a better tomorrow.
2020: A Lost Year or a Year of Losses?
Just past its midpoint, year 2020 has assured us already of its destructive, lasting impact. It came with no appointment and stands out unlike any other year most of us have known. Will this be a lost year or a year of losses?
Heroes and Henchmen – An American Irony
We choose leaders who stand up for our nation’s ideals. We also choose leaders who loyally serve more narrow interests. How is this possible? The irony lies in the disconnect between the values we claim and the choices we make.
How Aristotle Can Solve US Polarization
Aristotle’s practical political philosophy is a good source of help in dealing with our current political polarization. Applied to politics and society, Aristotle would urge us not to follow an ideal to places we do not want to go.
Anchoring Your Soul During Global Pandemic
Everything from simple, everyday annoyances to heart-wrenching tragedy has caused people to look for divine help to just ‘get us through this.’ For Christians, this means trusting God through faith. Here’s how to do it.
Opening Blind Eyes to Reclaim Our World
For many white people who have never seen racial injustice up close, their attitude has been, ‘It’s someone else’s problem.’ Not any longer. In the end, racial justice is reclaiming the sacred intention of a world interwoven by love.
John Lewis Crosses Alabama Bridge One Last Time
Watching John Lewis cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I felt a holy conviction. We are responsible for carrying onward in his just battle. As surely as the arc of the universe bends toward justice, we must be part of the bending.
Gullibility Often Harms Christian Credibility
US Christianity has lost its credibility. Why? A large swath of US Christians prefers to advance a political ideology that soothes their fears. Bearing false witness is OK for many of them if it leads to a desired political end.
Isn’t it Time to Purge Those Old Habits?
The Hebrew Bible talks about people having a hardness of heart. It’s a reference to a bad habit. Today, many progressive Christians have bad habits they need to break, such as racism, sexism and wanting to be patted on the back.
Fields of Dreams: Lessons from Sports
We are hearing ‘play ball’ for baseball and other sports around the US. The very best plays this season may be those outside the lines: standing in solidarity to combat racism and yielding the field when public health is at risk.
Confederate Statues Laud Wrong View of History
Statues in public places present a specific point of view and claim that their version of history is the public version of history. Because I care about history, that’s why I support Confederate statues coming down.
Families, Individuals Often Drive Human Trafficking
We think of human trafficking within the context of organized crime. In many cases, however, it is driven in a local context by loose networks of families or individuals operating independently. Juana’s story is just one example.
Death, Taxes and a Surprising Find
Taxes have been around since the emergence of urban civilization but weren’t always paid in coins or checks. Many ancient Hebrews paid taxes in the form of grain, wine or olive oil, which were then stored in large pottery jars.
The Truth Tom Cotton Can’t Handle About Slavery
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton can’t handle the truth. He called slavery a ‘necessary evil,’ but his logic is flawed. Kidnapping, enslaving, raping, stealing the lives and labor of Africans were deliberate evils based on greed, not need.
Questioning Racial Identity: Living on Wrong Terms
‘Who am I really?’ While we all face this question in our lives at some point, I continued to wrestle with my racialized identity after graduation. One day, I asked a question that answered me. ‘Do I have to be Black?’
US Leads Fight in Human Trafficking – Or Does It?
The US led the world in fighting human trafficking 20 years ago. Where are we today? The government prosecuted fewer cases and secured convictions against fewer traffickers for two years in a row. And that’s just the start.
Archives, Subscription Options Enhance Journal’s Access
Willie Nelson wrote a song called ‘Three Days’ about lost love. With less twang and despair, we want readers to enjoy and benefit from reading Nurturing Faith Journal – yesterday, today and tomorrow. Here’s how you can do it.
Some Still Revising South’s Reasons for Civil War
Shortly after the Civil War, a movement began called The Lost Cause, seeking to reframe the reasons the South fought the war to make their motives appear more sympathetic. Sadly, the playbook has been updated for the 21st century.
Slaves, Masters Still Exist in US Today
There are still masters and slaves. Human trafficking is still an issue involving race, age, economics and gender. And we must acknowledge we still have slaves and slaveholders in the US. Why do we continue to allow such depravity?
As Monuments Come Tumbling Down
The Baptist narrative reflects a decidedly white supremacist perspective. That’s why it’s time to address some long-forgotten ghosts in the Baptist history closet. Consider these embarrassing moments of recent discovery.
Your Church Can’t Separate Faith, Anti-Racism Work
Churches do not get to compartmentalize issues of faith and race. Churches must understand the dominant, white culture and, if truly committed to the work of anti-racism, will make every effort to dismantle white supremacy.
After COVID-19, We’ll Need Churches Who Heal
While the coronavirus has taken its toll on congregations, as we come out of this pandemic, the new missionary field of churches just might be mental and emotional health. We will need churches who heal.
6 Examples of Good News on Environmental Front
With a news cycle that feels like a gerbil on a spinning wheel track, six dramatic actions on slowing ecological disaster should be celebrated – even when you realize we’re still in deep trouble with regard to our climate crisis.