Recent Articles
Look Back | An Interview with Bob Abernethy
Bob Abernethy (1927-2021) hosted Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly on PBS from 1997 to 2017. He spoke with Jodi Mathews about religion, ethics and journalism in a 2002 interview.
February 4, 2022
In today’s news and analysis headlines: Baptist Seminary of Kentucky President: ‘Stop Threatening HBCUs’; Missouri Republican Pushes Bill that Would ‘Make Murder Legal,’ Prosecutor Says; Meet the Indigenous Activist Who Toppled Minnesota’s Christopher Columbus Statue (and more)
How Houses of Faith Can Help Local Schools, Teachers
Teachers have often been too busy to reflect on the ways education has been, and will be, impacted by COVID-19, divisive politics and racial divisions. Here are five ways houses of faith, and people of faith, can help.
Why Does Grief Last So Long?
Grief is difficult for most folks and there are good reasons why this is true. Grief is also a journey, and there are good reasons for that as well.
‘Born Again,’ Evangelical Republicans Care Most About Trump’s Midterm Endorsements
“Born again” or evangelical Christians who affiliate with the Republican Party are most likely to say Donald Trump’s endorsement of 2022 midterm candidates is most important to them, according to a recent Yahoo News / YouGov survey.
February 3, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Is There a Place for Spirituality in Space Science?; Robert E. Lee’s Descendant Proves His Lineage and Pushes for ‘Honest’ History of Racism; ‘I’m Just Tired of Being Terrorized Like My Grandparents Were’: More Than a Dozen HBCUs Got Bomb Threats on the 1st Day of Black History Month (and more)
Old Brews in the News
Beer has been in production for centuries – perhaps even further back than previously thought, according to a recent archaeological find in the Levant. What does the Bible have to say about beer?
It’s Never too Late to Acknowledge and Repent of Racism
Charles Hale’s murder in 1911 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was commemorated over MLK Day weekend 2022. His lynching brought to mind another troubling event in that town’s square that took place in 1995.
On Speaking and Keeping Silent
Casual conversation over meals with friends has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Knowing when to speak and when to keep silent is a difficult decision we all must make.
February 2, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: A 98-Year Old Holocaust Survivor Built a Massive TikTok Following to Combat Deniers: ‘It Happened’; Christian Nationalist Pastor Greg Locke Organizes ‘Massive’ Book Burning; Religion References Frame Virginia House Debate on Republican Proposal to Stop Minimum Wage Increases; In Alabama, People of Color Comprise 35% of Population, Have 70% of Abortions (and more)
If I Were God …
What would I do if I were God? Other than eliminating February from the calendar, here are a few actions I might consider taking.
Loving Our Neighbors in South Asia
One year after the military coup in Burma (Myanmar), the situation in the South Asian nation has deteriorated. How can people of goodwill make a difference? Here are three possible responses.
“O Holy Night” and the End of Oppression
A social media debate about the best Advent and Christmas hymns resulted in “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” being selected. My choice was another well-known hymn, because of its focus on the end of oppression.
February 1, 2022
In today’s news and analysis headlines: St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano to Provide Free Prom Attire to High School Girls; Attorney: Waffle House Shooter Believed Patrons Were Government Agents Whom He Had Been Commanded by God to Kill ; Why is a Symbol of Christian Nationalism Hanging in the Arizona House? (and more)
Vax and Vaccine: Two Words That Divided a Nation
“Vax” was Oxford’s “word of the year” for 2021; “vaccine” was Merriam Webster’s. Why have these two words divided the U.S. so dramatically? Can people of goodwill do anything to change the situation?
How I Ministered to a Family Member With a Terminal Illness
When I learned that a family member had ALS, I knew enough about the disease to know it was a death sentence. Here is how I sought to minister to him in the final months of his life.
Theology and Spirituality – Writing About It or Writing It
Just as a piece of art is distinct from its creator, there is a difference between writing theology or spirituality and writing about these matters. Here is why the distinction matters.
January 31, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: They Didn’t Leave the Church, the Church Left Them; Former Liberty University’s Jerry Falwell Jr. Says He’s ‘Not a Religious Person’ in Interview; Historic Michigan Chapter Enters New Church as AirBNB, Wedding Chapel; Confederate Flags, Conspiracies, and the Ghost of JFK Jr.: What I Saw at Trump’s Bananas Texas Rally; and more
Reaction and Response: Sixth Highest Average Global Temperature in 2021
The average global temperature in 2021 was the sixth highest since global records began in 1880, a new report revealed. Here is what several faith leaders had to say about the findings.
People of Good Faith: Fred Guttman
Fred Guttman is Rabbi Emeritus at Temple Emanuel in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he served as rabbi from 1995 to 2021.
Look Back | Babi Yar: 1941 Slaughter Near Kiev Mustn’t Be Forgotten
On Sept. 29-30, 1941, the Germans, with the help of Ukrainian collaborators, developed a plan to eliminate the Jewish population of Kiev. The events at Babi Yar were driven by hatred.
January 28, 2022
In today’s news and analysis headlines: How Bible Scholars and Treasure Hunters Unearthed Modern Jerusalem; Why Conservative Content Dominates Online Searches for Bible Study Helps; Yale Hosts Free Online Courses on Intersection of Religion and Ecology; and more
Retiring Justice Stephen Breyer Served With Integrity
Justice Stephen Breyer has announced his plans to retire from the U.S. Supreme Court. His legal and pragmatic wisdom will live long after his retirement from the court.
Remembering Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos
Judy Batalion shares in her book ‘The Light of Days’ largely unknown stories of women resistance fighters who worked to foil Nazi efforts. May tell their stories and honor their memory on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Plurality of U.S. Adults Want Less Strict Abortion Laws
Three-in-10 U.S. adults want to see less strict abortion laws enacted, a survey found. This is the highest percentage of adults wanting less strict laws in polling history.
January 27, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: ‘We’re Seeing a New Level of Despair’: Latinas Decry Impact of Abortion Laws; How the Capitol Attacks Helped Spread Christian Nationalism in the Extreme Right; COVID-19 is Making Us Less Religious – With Some Curious Exceptions; and more
Looking Sideways
As a type-A personality, my focus on the task at hand sometimes causes me to miss what’s around me. Here’s what I learned on a hike about the need to look sideways.
Caring for Educators, the Pandemic’s ‘Second Responders’
We’ve rightly sought to affirm and support the first responders to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Now, we should expand our efforts to encourage and uplift the pandemic’s “second responders.”
How to Make a Difference When Facing Overwhelming Evil
Have you ever asked, “How can I make a difference in the face of such overwhelming evil?” Learning how some people of faith did so during the Holocaust can encourage us to be faithful in opposing injustice and evil.
January 26, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Teaching About Racism is Essential to Education; NC Church Aims to Bridge Digital Divide, Address Education, Loneliness; Atlanta Rappers’ New Album Addresses Church Hurt and Decline in Attendance; The Connection Between Anti-Vaccine Activists and Antisemitism; Restored 5th-Century Byzantine Church Reopens in Gaza; and more