Recent Articles
Recommitting to the Work of Justice
Jewish tradition says, “It is not up to one to complete the task, but neither is one free to desist from trying to do something.” It’s vital that we recommit ourselves to seek equal justice for all.
Finding Hope While Changing Paradigms
Before the 1990s gets blotted out of the 40-year-timeline of the struggle between Southern Baptist abuse and survivors who have been trying desperately to be heard, it’s time to set matters right before it’s too late.
Faith Seeking Understanding | Sex and ‘Biblical Womanhood’
“Sex, drugs and rock-and-roll” – the North American church has always known exactly who and what to blame. When I became a Christian, an inordinate amount of attention was given to ‘works of the flesh’ – and by this, I mean sex.
Pope Francis Urges Christians to ‘Listen to the Voice of Creation’
“Listen to the voice of creation,” Pope Francis urges in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. His entreaty provides both a theme and an invitation for the Catholic Season of Creation.
The Danger of Tampering with History
I sank from jubilation into the depths of despair as I read a 40-year history of the SBC’s sexual abuse crisis published by Religion News Service. The advocacy I and others did in the 1990s was left out, so let me fill in the blanks.
Jesus Drew the Curtain on Performative Religion
Being seen as Christian sure seems more important to many than just being Christian. And such spiritual showmanship is getting encouragement and enablement from high places. It’s well past time for a return to Jesus’ teachings and example.
187 Minutes of Silence During the Capitol Insurrection
The “187 minutes” that changed a nation was the focus of the July 21 hearing of the U.S. House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. That time period should be a powerful bookmark in the history of this nation.
Same-Sex Couples Excluded from IVF Coverage by Catholic Hospital System
An Illinois-based Catholic non-profit hospital system has created its own definition of infertility, which contrasts with the CDC’s definition. As a result, it is restricting IVF treatments to opposite-sex couples only.
The Challenges of Aging Leaders in Politics and Pulpits
President Joe Biden plans to run for re-election in 2024, even though most U.S. adults would prefer that he didn’t. The North American church finds itself in a similar position with older clergy leading aging congregations.
Latest Nurturing Faith Book Searches for ‘Common-Sense’ Gospel
Offering an exploration of the Gospels in search of a “common-sense gospel,” ‘If Jesus Were Here Today’ by Maralene and Miles Wesner is the latest book from Nurturing Faith Books, the publishing imprint of Good Faith Media.
Why I Am a Coward
I spend some time each week tending to people in public service. It’s the least I can do. But I would not serve in the military, and I recognize that, all my life, that meant sending someone else to do my job.
Autumn Lockett Departing Good Faith Media for OU Medical School Position
Autumn Lockett is departing her role at Good Faith Media for a position at the University of Oklahoma’s College of Medicine. She has served as GFM’s executive director of development and marketing since June 2020.
Our Present Woes: A Comparison of the U.S. and the U.K. – Part 2
What are some of the similarities and differences between the social, economic and political dynamics in the U.S. and the U.K.? And what guidance could a new book from an environmental theologian offer people of good faith?
Look Back | Paul Tillich and a Struggle for Authentic Faith
Paul Tillich was one of the giants of 20th-century Protestant theology. Perhaps the most compelling — and threatening — idol that Tillich identified was nationalism.
July 22, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Campaign to Reverse Roe Was Always About Political Power; January 6 House Committee Member Adam Kinzinger Warns Fellow Christians of ‘False Prophets’ in Evangelical Group; Baptism Ban on Lake Geneva Enrages Evangelicals (and more)
The Heat Is On: It’s Time to Declare a Climate Emergency
Heatwaves across Europe and the U.S. have broken records for high temperatures. We need more people of faith like to stand up, speak out and step forward to address the world’s changing climate.
Our Present Woes: A Comparison of the U.S. and the U.K. – Part 1
What are some of the similarities and differences between the social, economic and political dynamics in the U.S. and the U.K.? And what guidance could a new book from an environmental theologian offer people of good faith?
What Are the Ethical Implications When Algorithms Can Write Papers, Request Lawyers?
I have never read a paper written by an algorithm, despite almost two decades teaching online courses and requiring students to write a weekly article for discussion. Could that change in the near future?
July 21, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Thomas Edsall: How You Feel About Gender Roles Can Tell us How You’ll Vote; A Historic Black Church Wants to Combat Gentrification on Tacoma’s Hilltop. Here’s How; ‘This is an Issue of Equality’: Maryland Law to Allow Religious Garments in College Sports (and more)
Boys and Guns
There’s something about boyhood and guns that brings a feeling of power. With most mass shootings being carried out by males, we don’t just have a gun problem; we have a man problem, which starts with a boy problem.
Remembering ‘Bootleg Preacher’ Will D. Campbell
I first learned about the “bootleg preacher” from a one-column profile of Will D. Campbell in Newsweek. Thankfully, I had the good fortune to get to know him personally.
Full Gender Parity Worldwide 132 Years Away
It will take 132 years to achieve full gender parity worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Gender Gap Report published July 13. The index, launched in 2006, measures progress towards gender parity.
July 20, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Christian Nationalism Drove These People Out of Their Churches; Political Polarization is Pushing Evangelicals to a Historic Breaking Point; More than 100 Churches in Florida File Lawsuit to Leave United Methodist Church; Early Known Images of Biblical Heroines, Dated to 400 CE, Discovered in Israel (and more)
The Jesus Priority
Jesus is absent from much of Americanized Christianity. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. A new resource, emerging from GFM’s Jesus Worldview Initiative and addressing this reality, will be available this fall from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Echoes of Enlightenment on an Ordinary Day
Amid stories of immorality and injustice are examples of courage and commitment to ethical conduct and the ongoing work for justice. Is the moral law within each of us beginning to find more visible expression?
Faith Seeking Understanding | Less Condemnation, Greater Humility
The dominant impression of Christians in popular media isn’t very flattering. Christians can be stereotyped, just like any other group. But often those who are most vocal about their Christianity seem to live up to the stereotype.
July 19, 2022
Today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Supreme Court Has Ushered in a New Era of Religion at School; Christian Nationalist, Pro-January 6 Insurrection ReAwaken America Tour in Rochester Canceled Over ‘Concern for Our Community,’ Venue Owner Says; The Activist and Fake Historian Behind Opposition to the Separation of Church and State (and more)
What Will It Take for Faith-Based Institutions to Change?
Confidence in institutions is dwindling, and that includes religious institutions. In search of their own personal relationship with Jesus, many are leaving the church to answer God’s calling.
Do Merton’s Observations on American Myth and Frontiers Apply Today?
Thomas Merton proposed that a widely accepted U.S. myth was that ‘America is the earthly paradise’ in his 1965 book ‘Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander.’ What insight do his observations hold for us today?
The Trauma of Colorism
Conscious discipline helps people learn to better control and regulate their emotions. I needed to use what I’d learned from CD programs when a comment during a panel discussion was an unexpected trigger for me.