Recent Articles
A Call for Audacious, Bold and Courageous Words
I’ve been collecting words for years; finding solace, guidance, inspiration and conviction in them. Here’s why we need words that are audacious, bold and courageous to guide us.
‘Davka,’ Do the Right Thing
One Hebrew word defies explanation and is best understood through examples. You know it when you see it. Here are several manifestations of this word that I’ve observed in my interfaith work.
Religious Life in U.S. ‘Slowly Returning to Normal’
Religious life in the U.S. is “showing signs of slowly returning to normal,” an AP-NORC report found. Nearly one-quarter of all adults are attending in-person religious services at least weekly.
December 27, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: World Leaders Morn the Death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Burned Out by the Pandemic, Many Clergy Quit in the Past Year; Archaeological Survey Off the Coast of Caesarea Recovers Treasure from Two Ancient Shipwrecks; Billionaire Makes Public Break from Mormon Church and more
An Empty Tree
The Randall family Christmas tree is empty for the first time ever. Why? And what lessons can we take away from its barrenness?
Atmosphere, Schmatmosphere
A trip to Arkansas led to sampling a variety of food styles and restaurant venues. What lessons might this experience offer for people of faith?
Few U.S. Adults Could Tell Christmas Story Accurately from Memory
Less than a quarter of all U.S. adults say they could tell the biblical Christmas story accurately, a report found. Even so, a strong majority plan to celebrate Christmas this year.
Look Back | Who Is Jesus?
Each year, the arrival of Christmas invites us to consider the question, “Who is Jesus?” To answer, let’s look at some of the terms used in the Bible to describe him, along with Jesus’ favorite term for himself.
December 22, 2021
In today’s news and analysis headlines: Chimes from Crusader Times: Recreating Nativity Church’s Medieval Music; Religious Imagery in Capitol Insurrection is Year’s Top Religion News Story, Survey Finds; North Carolina Relief Organizations in Kentucky Following Deadly Tornado; ‘They Were Finally Free’: Christian Aid Details How Hostages Escaped Captivity in Haiti; and more
Removing the Parentheses Around Jesus’ Life
Have you placed Jesus’ life and teachings in parentheses as interesting but not essential to Christian faith? If so, the celebration of his coming is a good time to get rid of those punctuation marks.
Advent Lectionary | Is There Room? Are We Ready?
Like the innkeeper, many of us likely have no room to receive the Christ Child. Luke’s Gospel prepares to hand Jesus off to us following his birth. Is there room? Are we ready?
Considering Advent’s Insurrectionary Promise
Advent and Christmas challenge and unsettle the status quo. Let’s consider how these seasons bring an insurrectionary promise.
December 21, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: He Bombed the Nazis, Outwitted the Soviets and Modernized Christmas; Across US, Houses of Worship Struggle to Rebuild Attendance; Islamophobia Has Forced American Muslim Community to Evolve; and more
New Nurturing Faith Books Analyze Broadway and the Gospels
The latest books from Nurturing Faith feature Terrell Carter looking to Broadway for insight and inspiration, and Maralene and Miles Wesner carefully analyzing the Gospels for information about Jesus as a person.
Few in U.S. See Conflict Between Religious Teaching, Vaccination
Few adults in the U.S. say there is a conflict between religious teaching, or personal religious beliefs, and receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. Still, a slim majority favor religious exemptions for vaccinations.
Do Lab-Grown Embryos Have Rights?
With scientific research bringing science fiction plot lines into reality, we must ask questions about the morality and ethical framework of such discoveries. Here is a primer on a new development related to human embryos.
December 20, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Vince Guaraldi’s Classic ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Music (CBS News) Memphis Church Gives Away $10,000 in Gas to Those in Need ; U.S. Generals Issues Chilling Warning: Civil War Possible in 2024; and more
People of Good Faith: David Emmanuel Goatley
David Emmanuel Goatley is Associate Dean for Academic and Vocational Formation, Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Research Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry, and Director of the Office of Black Church Studies at Duke University Divinity School.
We Could All Use an ‘Advent of the Heart’
As Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the focus on Jesus’ second coming in the church of my youth has come to mind. Rather than a physical event, perhaps we need to consider this as an ‘advent of the heart.’
Look Back | The Danger Your Church Faces When Rejecting Others
The pull toward exclusiveness has been, and continues to be, a challenge for faith communities. It is a ‘clear and present danger’ that all religious communities must acknowledge and work to address.
December 17, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty to Violating George Floyd’s Civil Rights; Tim Kaine Becomes First Democratic Senator to Ditch National Prayer Breakfast; In Lawsuit, Christian Financial Guru Dave Ramsey’s Former Employee Says He Was Told to ‘Pray Away Covid Before Being Fired; Long Wait for BBC Religion Editor is Over; and more
All I Want for Christmas Is …
A devastating storm ripped through eight U.S. states last week, killing nearly 100 people. Its severity is the result of climate change, so all I want for Christmas this year is for people of faith to care for creation.
Why Do ‘Good’ People Believe Lies?
The conundrum of seemingly “good” people believing lies has faced humanity for generations, and it’s the million-dollar question now facing the U.S. Let’s consider some of the possible reasons they do so.
What an Execution Reminded Me About Christmas
Mississippi carried out its first execution since 2012 in mid-November. Here is how one church was connected to this person and what his death reminded them about the challenging nature of prison ministry and the hope of Christmas.
December 16, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Pastor Who Defied the Odds; Thomas Edsall: How to Tell When Your Country is at the Tipping Point of No Return; Ex-Boarding School for Native Children Owning Up to its Past; and more
Same Old, Same Old?
What is the Septuagint and what is metalepsis? And what do they have to do with aging? Perhaps very little – or maybe more than it first would seem.
Don’t Forget: Immigration Policy is About Human Lives
Too often immigration policies are discussed and implemented apart from a clear recognition of the human impact. We are talking about human lives, and the reinstitution of “Remain in Mexico” will have dire results.
Nearly a Third of U.S. Does Not Affiliate With a Religious Tradition
The religiously unaffiliated now comprise nearly a third of all U.S. adults, a new report found. While a majority still identify as Christian, total affiliation has declined significantly in the past decade.
December 15, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Jacksonville’s Oldest Baptist Church, Damaged Beyond Repair by Hurricane Florence, Reopens; Americans Who Identify With No Religion Now Account for 29 Percent of Population: Poll; Why So Many Guns on Christmas Cards? Because Jesus was ‘Manly and Virile.’; and more
A Longer View of ‘the Sinful World’ Into Which Jesus Came
How do we appropriately get ready for Christmas and the coming of Jesus whose birth Christians celebrate that day? Beyond the pageants and pageantry, turning a careful eye upon ourselves is, perhaps, the most appropriate preparation.