Recent Articles
What Did Americans Celebrate Last Week? Can Love of Jesus and Country Co-exist?
On the 250th anniversary of American Independence, Missy and I attended a concert and fireworks show in North Texas. We expected to see and experience a lot of patriotism and love for the U.S.A. But something else occurred that we did not expect: Christian nationalism was on full display and celebrated.
The Baptist World Alliance Gathers Around the Table of Christ in Toronto
Baptists from 60 countries assembled for the Baptist World Alliance’s annual gathering under the banner: “The Table of Christ: One Gospel, Many People” in Toronto, Canada from July 6-10.
Writing Between Ear and Eye
Somewhere in all of this, I keep returning to that old recliner by the bed, to the teenager with a notebook, trying to get something onto paper before it disappears.
The False Gospel of Respectability Politics
It’s a false choice; the oppressors will throw us under the bus whenever they please, no matter how respectable we think we are.
Resistance Folk for ‘Such a Time as This’
Billy Simons Jr. has created a compilation that captures the heartbreak of a nation sinking ever deeper into a Christian nationalist version of authoritarianism.
Baylor Listened to the Cellar Voices
A university that aspires to tier-one research status, alongside its liberal arts and seminary programs, failed to stand up for its mission.
How Do You Recover From Being a Pastor’s Wife?
The wounds run too deep, and my ability to feel safe within the four walls of a church is limited—at least at this point in my life.
Reign in Blood, Reign in Faith: How Slayer Made Me a Better Christian
‘Rein in Blood’ pressed my faith up against something real and asked whether it could hold.
The Human Quest for Knowledge
The rational activity of the soul is intrinsic to what it means to bear the image of God.
‘And Nearly Burned the Gravy’
Well, I thought I’d heard it all. But I got a new one today!
An IVF Journey | ‘Hope. That’s the Name of the Game.’
The people enduring IVF are not abstract ethical dilemmas. They are our choir members, Sunday school teachers, deacons, pastors, neighbors and friends.
Telling Stories, Holding On
Sometimes I worry no one and nothing belongs to any of us anymore—not in a claim-staking way, but in a communal one.
Beyond Pride Month: Year-Round Care for LGBTQ+ Communities in the Church
The doctrine of Imago Dei means we see God’s image in all people, and God’s image is marked in us all.
Empires Crumble From Within
By virtually every measure of quality of life, the United States is far from number one.
‘She Speaks: Black Women Artists and the Power of Historical Memory’ Offers More Than Conversation Pieces
“She Speaks: Black Women Artists and the Power of Historical Memory” is a highly innovative exhibition that explores 250 years of American history through the lens of womanism.
A Time of Lament and Celebration
Given the political and social upheavals of the past year and a half, this moment calls for both lament and celebration.
‘Independence’ Day Wisdom from Frederick Douglass
A faith that follows the radical teachings of Jesus cannot be content with performative monuments to freedom as the descendants of the oppressed are still dehumanized and denied true freedom.
National Pride Hits Record Low Ahead of the Nation’s 250th Anniversary, According to New Gallup Poll
National pride is decreasing. Ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial this July 4, a new Gallup poll finds just 33% of citizens polled are “extremely proud” to be American, a quarter century low in Gallup polling that started in 2001.
The United States at 250: Reflecting on the Past and Looking to the Future
Anniversaries compel us to ask a crucial question: What kind of country will we become?
Cutting Open the World
The challenge of Christian belief is to open up so that meaning can penetrate every pore of our being.
What, to the Immigrant, is the Fourth of July?
What must they think of our speeches and concerts purporting to celebrate our national virtues of bravery and freedom?
Here in America, Land of My Sojourn
Rich Mullins leads listeners down a road, and it is difficult to tell if it is toward redemption, destruction, or both.
Christian Nationalist Contortionists
The Christian Nationalist circus is full of actors confused about who they are supposed to entertain
‘Supergirl’ Deserved Better
People will see minority-led movies if they’re good, but when they are bad, we blame the minority, not the movie.
Civic and Faith Leaders Organize Williamsburg, Virginia’s First Pride Festival
A common theme among festival attendees was gratitude for not having to leave their own community to find a Pride event.
Two Sports Pride Nights, One Faith
Opposition to a group of people is loud but not transformative.
In No Mood to Celebrate (White) Freedom
Freedom is not a gift an oppressor can give because oppressors can only offer the freedom they possess.
The Politics of White-Body Supremacy: On ‘White Fragility’ or ‘Colonial Defensiveness’
Coined by Robin DiAngelo, “white fragility” refers to a state in which even a minimal amount of “racial” stress becomes intolerable to individuals racialized as white, triggering defensive behaviors. I happen to think it’s nonsense.
Good Fruit?: A Response to Matthew Vines’ Latest Attack on Queer Theology
When Vines released God and the Gay Christian in 2014, it was both revolutionary and deeply healing for queer Christians who had long struggled to reconcile their queerness with their faith.
The Race for AI Leads to a Brick Wall
The time is now for people of good faith to demand that tech companies and politicians tap the brakes on AI.