Recent Articles
People of Good Faith: Paul Lewis
Paul Lewis is professor of religion in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
What a Resident of Myanmar’s Kachin State Wants You to Know
A military coup in February has ended Myanmar’s decade-long democratic experiment. Here is what one resident of Myanmar’s Kachin State wants you to know.
Statues, Memorials Continue to Reveal U.S. Divides
Protests and counter protests over removing statues and memorials to Confederate leaders have largely died down. However, a recent poll found that polarization remains over some of the people to be honored and memorialized.
November 19, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Black Ministry Isn’t Limited to Sundays – and it Won’t be Limited by Racists; What Americans Hear About Social Justice at Church, and What They Do About It; In Charlottesville Trial, Jurors Learn to Decode the Secret Slang of White Supremacists; This North Texas Church Lost Six Members to Suicide. Here’s What it’s Doing to Get Families Help; New Revised Standard Version Bible Updated with Consideration for ‘Modern Sensibilities’; and more
One Week in America
It has been a challenging week in the U.S., with high profile court cases, political tension and calls for “one religion under God.” People of good faith must continue to look for glimmers of light and hope.
Generosity Is More Than a Seasonal, Nostalgic Exercise
The season of Thanksgiving in the U.S. invites us to reflect on generosity. Because this concept and attribute is emphasized in most faith traditions, it must be more than a seasonal, nostalgic exercise in our lives.
More Protestant Pastors Consider Leaving Full-Time Ministry
A growing number of U.S. Protestant clergy are considering leaving full-time ministry, a report found. More than a third seriously considered this possibility in the fall of 2021.
November 18, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Pastor Says Church Event Tied to Deadly COVID Outbreak Was ‘What God Wanted Us to Do’; Why is it So Dangerous to be Pregnant in America?; Tennessee’s Southern Baptist Convention Approves Sexual Abuse Recommendation; and more
How Beautiful Are the Shoes …
Observing young children in my neighborhood playing outside barefoot brought back childhood memories. It also led to a reflection on what the Bible has to say about footwear.
Three New Titles Now Available from Nurturing Faith Books
New titles from Doug Dortch, Bruce Salmon, and Maralene and Miles Wesner are now available from Nurturing Faith Books, the publishing imprint of Good Faith Media.
Everywhere You Go, Be Who You Are
The statement of a young man from Uganda offers much food for thought about how we view ourselves and how others perceive us. He offers a needed reminder to be ourselves wherever we go.
November 17, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Attending Michael Flynn’s Call for ‘One Religion,’ a Who’s Who of the New Christian Right; Pulpit Panic: Half of Protestant Clerics Looking for Exits, Survey Reports;
If You’re a High-Risk Patient Who Needs an Abortion, a Hospital’s Religious Chaplain Might Help Decide Whether You Can Get One; and more
What Markings Do We Bear?
What does it look like to bear the markings of Jesus in one’s life? One large, visible portion of the Christian church in the U.S. offers up an answer that looks very different from what is set forth in the Gospels.
Australia Making Headlines for All the Wrong Reasons
Australia is making headlines. Lack of substantive action on climate change mitigation has drawn the Pacific nation and its prime minister into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
UMC Female Clergy Underrepresented, Underpaid
Female clergy in the United Methodist Church are underrepresented and underpaid, according to a report. Even when accounting for mitigating factors, pay is substantially less in several regions.
November 16, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: His Reasons for Opposing Trump Were Biblical. Now a Top Christian Editor is Out; ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Chanted at QAnon-Linked Church Event in Texas; The Mormon Church’s $100 Billion Fund Added to its Tesla Stake and Took Profits in Nvidia Last Quarter; The Language of Jewish Nationalism: Street Signs and Linguistics in the Old City of Jerusalem; and more
Does Your Church Need a ‘Come to Jesus’ Meeting?
The church has been called ‘a hospital for sinners,’ but what do you do when the call for an ambulance is coming from inside the house of worship? Perhaps a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting is in order.
Non-Christians Most, White Evangelicals Least Affirming of U.S. Religious Diversity
A recent survey asked U.S. adults to share their views on diversity in the nation. Two groups stood out for their divergent perspectives on this inquiry.
Who Bears the Cost for Technological Advances?
What is involved in making smartphones and other devices we all rely on? For all the benefits of technological advances, who bears the cost? These are questions we should all be asking.
November 15, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: How My Faith Shapes My View of Racism and History; In North Carolina, Black Baptists, White Methodists Plan a Bus Trip for Healing; Former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn at Far Right Rally Calls for One Religion in America; and more
People of Good Faith: Imad Enchassi
Imad Enchassi is the founder, imam and president of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.
“Fire Shut Up in My Bones”: A Powerful Drama for Our Time
The opera “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” dispels the notion that opera is only for the elite or is something belonging in a museum. Adapted from the memoir of Charles M. Blow, its powerful drama speaks to myriad issues in our day.
Look Back | Soiling Good Terms
Words and concepts are often co-opted and used as a basis for discrimination and other problematic actions. ‘Religious liberty’ is one such term that has been used improperly in recent years.
November 12, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: On the Best Seller List, Rachel Held Evans’s Legacy Continues (New York Times)
Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology; Uncovering Native History in Badlands National Park; Man Who Stalked Reporter Who Broke Church Scandal Sentenced; Baseball Returning to One of the Nation’s Oldest Historically Black Universities with Help of Cincinnati Reds; and more
Ernest Childers: First Indigenous Person to Receive Medal of Honor in WWII
Second Lieutenant Ernest Childers was the first Indigenous person awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. I want to thank each and every veteran for their service and sacrifice, and especially my Indigenous brothers and sisters.
Why You Should Hold on to Hope Despite Disappointment
The weeping of Jesus and the lamentation of Jeremiah reveal that disappointment will always accompany the hope for a different and better future. Here is why you should hold on to hope, nevertheless.
Muslim Americans More Generous Than Non-Muslims
Muslims in the U.S. are more generous than non-Muslims, a report found. They contribute a significant amount more to charitable causes, both faith-based and secular, than non-Muslim adults.
November 11, 2021
Today’s curated news and analysis headlines: SBC Abuse Reckoning Spurs State-Level Reviews; The Question Roiling the Catholic Church: Who’s a Good Catholic?; Rev. Jacqui Lewis: In a Divided America, No One is Saved Until Everyone is Saved; and more
‘The Wonderful’ Documentary Offers Dose of Hope
Did you ever want to be an astronaut? Do the dysfunctions on Earth make you want to escape to space? Perhaps a new documentary can offer you a dose of hope.
A Cry for Mercy for Myanmar and a Call for Congress to Act
The brutal military coup in February ended a decade of democracy in Myanmar (Burma). The Burma Act of 2021 has been proposed in the U.S. Congress to provide concrete responses to the ongoing atrocities. Here’s how you can help.