Recent Articles
A Few Words about Two Words: Zionism and Antisemitism
Zionism and antisemitism are largely misunderstood terms. Here is a brief introduction and overview of the history of these concepts and their meaning.
September 1, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: First Nations Version Translates the New Testament for Native American Readers; Hate Crime Reports in US Surge to the Highest Level in 12 Years, FBI Says; The Evangelical Abortion Myth: An Excerpt from ‘Bad Faith’; ‘A Church Without Walls’: Anglicanism Divided on Shift Away from Tradition; and more
Good Faith Media Launches Raceless Gospel Initiative
The Raceless Gospel Initiative has now officially launched, with Starlette Thomas serving as the director. A webpage combining relevant GFM resources is now available.
Contemplating My Confused Identity — While Putting Cornbread in My Milk
Raised in a combination of rural and urban settings raises questions about community and identity. Some experiences were satisfying; others, while interesting, I don’t care to repeat.
‘Thy Queendom Come’ Required Reading for Churchgoers
A new book from Kyndall Rae Rothaus challenges patriarchal systems and interpretations of the Bible. She offers a breath of fresh air for women who suffer from and experience misogyny in the church and in their everyday lives.
August 31, 2021
In today’s news and analysis headlines: Christian Groups Aid Hurricane Ida Victims as Many are Missing, Homes Destroyed; Mormon Vaccine Push Ratchets Up, Dividing Faith’s Members; Muslim Cleric Arrested on Blasphemy Charges for Insulting Christianity, Calling the Bible ‘Fiction’; and more
Giving Me a Break
When your to-do list seems to be on top of you rather than you on top of it, it’s time to take a break. Refusing to accept the demand to be productive is holy.
Rashad Hussain ‘Uniquely Qualified’ for Religious Freedom Post
If confirmed by the Senate, Indian American Rashad Hussain would be the first Muslim to hold the position of U.S. Ambassador At Large for International Religious Freedom. He is uniquely qualified for this position.
How Simple Acts Can Counter Meanness
Expressions of anger and meanness seem to be on the rise, straining relationships and making social interactions more difficult. A smile or simple greeting can help change this trend.
August 30, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Mississippi’s Governor Says People in the State are Less Scared of COVID-19 Because They ‘Believe in Eternal Life’’; Hawaii’s Religious Leaders Band Together to Build Trust, Encouraging the COVID Vaccine; Afghanistan’s Minorities Live in Fear, Brace for Persecution; The Right-Wingers Who Admire the Taliban; and more.
People of Good Faith: Kelly Belcher
Kelly Belcher has served as a church minister and as a hospital and hospice chaplain. She resides in Asheville, North Carolina, and is currently serving on Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board.
How Can People of Faith Help Afghan Refugees?
How can people of faith and faith communities in the U.S. help Afghan refugees when they arrive? GFM CEO Mitch Randall spoke with CBF Field Personnel Marc Wyatt about this question.
Racial Discrimination Informed ‘War on Drugs,’ Fueled Opioid Crisis
The U.S. is facing an epidemic in opioid abuse and overdose deaths. Racial discrimination has historically resulted in minorities not receiving needed pain medications, while whites were overprescribed opioids and, thus, developed addiction at higher rates.
Reaction and Response: U.S. Divided on Revisiting Nation’s Racial History
A slim majority of the U.S. affirms the increased focus on racism and slavery in the nation’s history, but there is a strong partisan divide on this matter, a survey found. Several faith leaders offered their thoughts on the findings.
August 27, 2021
In today’s news and analysis headlines: Why Some White Evangelical Republicans are So Opposed to the COVID-19 Vaccine; The Mississippi Clinic at the Center of the Fight to End Abortion in America; The New Chief Chaplain at Harvard? An Atheist; Jewish Bibles Not Obsolete, Rabbis Tell Pope After Sermon Ignites Centuries-Old Feud; and more
What is Truth?
Truth can seem elusive, ever-evolving through time and perspective. However, truth is rooted in our honest pursuit of it and an agreement on factual evidence.
Why You Should Trust Your Doctor, Not Your Facebook Feed
The pandemic has revealed many troubling trends, one of which is the tendency for people to treat themselves medically based on anecdotal evidence. Trust your physician, not your Facebook friends.
What Does True Repentance Require?
If victims were the only ones who understood oppression, who would help them? It’s a question worth pondering, with the Hebrew people’s liberation from Egypt offering insight into possible answers.
August 26, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: A More Secular America is Not Just a Problem for Republicans; Catholic Charities Say Texas Order on Migrant Transportation Violates Religious Rights; Will America’s Christians Welcome Afghanistan’s Refugees?; Charleston Church Shooter’s Death Sentence Upheld; and more.
Refugees Never Lose Longing for Home
Refugees are seeking to make the best of the bad hand they have been dealt. No matter how good the conditions might be in the country into which they are received, the longing to return home never leaves them.
Balancing Trees
Watching a neighbor’s trees being removed, I wondered what metaphorical trees might need attention in my life. Some will likely need to be removed, while others just require pruning.
Baptist Pastor Recognized for Lifetime Contributions to Cuba
Raúl Suárez received the Orden Félix Varela, one of Cuba’s highest honors, from President Miguél Díaz-Canel Bermúdez on Aug. 6. This recognizes his lifetime working for religious liberty and social justice.
August 25, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Scientization of Politics Has New Battles, So Evolution is Now More Accepted Than in the Past; ‘God Separating Sheep from Goats’’: Trump Supporter on Being Unvaccinated; White Christian Nationalist Author Advocates for a Biblical Worldview that Does Not Include Jesus; In Shift, Israel Quietly Allows Jewish Prayers on Temple Mount; and more
Choosing the Right Path
Little in Americanized Christianity resembles what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Each day, we have a choice to follow a power-driven religion or to follow the path Jesus set before us.
‘Pray Away’ Reveals Trauma Inflicted by Conversion Therapy
A new film demonstrates the trauma and abuse inflicted upon the LGBTQ+ community by religious-right evangelical groups through so-called conversion therapy. ‘Pray Away’ is currently streaming on Netflix.
Pandemic Lessons from a Century Ride in the Alabama Heat
A century ride in Alabama in late July offered an important lesson in the kindness of strangers. Let’s be sure we welcome people who are struggling into the ‘tent’ for respite and care.
August 24, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Baptists Worldwide Uniting to Offer Aid to Haiti as Challenges Mount; Who Will Win Ohio’s Evangelicals?; Truth and Justice: On the Cruelties Against Indigenous People; and more.
Building Community Is Hard, But Essential Work
A new school year is upon us, even as COVID-19 continues to plague us due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant. Building community is difficult, but vital work to model a better way for future generations.
What Christians Owe the World When Neighbors Fight
Moral obligation is difficult to discern due to limited resources. With the collapse of the democratic government in Afghanistan, the obligations are before us and it falls now to the body of Christ to open its hands.
Should Christians Claim Religious Exemptions from COVID-19 Vaccinations?
Exemptions to vaccine mandates are granted for religious and other reasons. But should Christians cite their religious beliefs as the basis for not receiving a vaccine that can save both their life and those of their neighbors?