Recent Articles
Pride
For way too long, our LGBTQ+ colleagues and friends have suffered under an exclusionist theology and unjust legal system. Even though the greatest rejections came from the church, God loves and affirms LGBTQ+ individuals.
Baptist Chaplain to Lead Air National Guard Chaplain Corps
Colonel Leah Botona Boling has been chosen to serve as the director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps. As an Asian American Pacific Islander woman, she is the first person of color to hold the position.
What It Looks Like When We Fight Like Christians
Music. Décor. The bulletin font. Christians fight over so many things that don’t matter. We need to get a grip and develop a sense of what really matters: loving neighbor and God with our whole being. Now, that’s worth fighting for.
Bible Reading, Prayer Most Common in Southern US Cities
The US cities where Bible reading and prayer are most common are in the south, a report said. Monroe, Louisiana, reported the highest percentage of residents who read the Bible weekly at 64% and the highest weekly prayer at 94%.
June 24, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: White Gen X and Millennial Evangelicals are Losing Faith in the Conservative Culture Wars; Drop in Evangelical Christian Support for Israel, Study Shows; Atheists, Humanists Sue Over Mississippi’s “In God We Trust” License Plates; and more
Tell the Truth
When twisted ignorance and religious zeal combine, the result is particularly noxious. Take, for example, the mom who told her local school board that the COVID-19 vaccine ‘comes from the pits of hell.’ It’s absurd, irrational.
Pride: A Virtue All Underdogs Can Embrace
The word pride has never held much of a good reputation within Christianity. For those who hold all the power, pride is one of the worst sins. But what about the underdogs? For them, pride is a virtue to be embraced.
‘Say It, Don’t Spray It’: When It’s OK to Get Close
We don’t like it when someone enters our personal space uninvited, especially when the invasion includes a projectile of spittle. Other times, a sense of too-closeness is OK when it involves race, sexuality or class, to name a few.
June 23, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Supreme Court Asked to Rule if Boston Can Legally Refuse to Fly Christian Flag at City Hall; In Oklahoma, the 1995 Bombing Offers Lessons – and Warnings – for Today’s Fight Against Extremism; Black Lives Matter Loss Lawsuit Over Removal of Protesters from DC Park for Trump’s Church Walk; Condos in 140-Year-Old Denver Church Fly Off the Market; and more
Jenga for Jesus
It’s not that risky to ignore or downplay Jesus in many churches but try removing the Jenga block of white nationalism or American exceptionalism or patriarchy or white privilege or cultural dominance. Then see what happens.
Here’s How Science Protects You From the Next Pandemic
Gain of Function Research, or GoFR, is the alteration of an organism in order to increase specific abilities for future study. GoFR represents science at its best, but safety measures need to be iron clad to avoid human error.
US Evenly Divided on Abortion’s Morality
US adults are evenly divided on the morality of abortion, a Gallup report found. Roughly half (46%) of respondents say abortion is morally wrong while 47% say it is morally acceptable – a three-point jump from 2020.
June 22, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Charleston Church Shooting, Six Years Later; After COVID-19 Kills 60 Members, Church Re-examines Role in Community; Law, Religion Come Together in Support of Death Penalty Ban; They Joined the Wisconsin Proud Boys for Brotherhood. They Found Racism, Bullying and Antisemitism; and more.
Wanting a Faith that Makes a Difference
This can’t be what Jesus died for. Christianity has become another holier-than-them club with membership dues and weekly activities while women in ministry, slavery and LGBTQ+ inclusion keep dividing the North American church.
Juneteenth: Observing a Modern-Day Jubilee
Juneteenth is a day for us to repent, reimagine and rejoice. Following the first Juneteenth observed as a federal holiday, let us advocate for a nation where resources are distributed equitably, and all people are treated fairly.
COVID-19’s Rude Awakening Boosted Community
COVID-19 has shown us that our lives are fragile. This rude awakening makes clear to us that we actually do live in community with each other. Rude awakenings may be unwelcome, but now we can engage with the day and all it offers us.
June 21, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Juneteenth Brings Joy, a New Tubman Museum and Questions of the Future; 1 Person is Dead After a Truck Hit Pedestrians at a Florida Pride Parade; Will Christian America Withstand the Pull of QAnon?; After Debate on Biden’s Abortion Views, Bishops Vote to Rethink Communion Rules; In Trying to Pressure Biden, Catholic Bishops Forget the Lessons of JFK; and more
Reaction & Response: Reparations for Black Americans
What should be done when economic prosperity for Black Americans is denied due to racial terror and systemic oppression? Reparations have been brought to the forefront of many conversations about how to achieve racial equity.
Even Death Valley Erupts with ‘Super Bloom’
Valleys represent the times when life has not turned out as we anticipated or hoped. Yet God reminds us that even Death Valley goes from dry, barren wasteland to vibrant fields of growing color: A place of beauty, a ‘super bloom.’
Southern Baptists Resist Rightward Drift for Now
In their first meeting since the onslaught of COVID-19, the Southern Baptist Convention tackled issues ranging from racial reconciliation, sexual abuse, abortion, ordained women and the supposed leftward drift of the convention.
Look Back | Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom from Slavery
Tracing its origin back to African Americans celebrating the end of slavery, Juneteenth has taken on even greater significance by uniting Americans and the world in honor of black lives and commemorating racial unity.
June 18, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Fight Against Evangelical Vaccine Hesitancy; The Fight for Religious Freedom Isn’t What is Used to Be; LBGTQ Rights Dodge a Supreme Court Bullet, But More Shots are Coming; IRS Rejects Tax-Exempt Status for Christian Group Over Ties to Republican Party; and more
Southern Baptist Convention: Old Themes, Alternative Movements
Embroiled in yet another internal rift, the Southern Baptist Convention met this week. While the largely white and patriarchal SBC remains devoted to a rigid and exclusive faith, we must continue the hard work of love and justice.
The Continuance of Hiding Truths
US governors are signing legislation to make it illegal to teach Critical Race Theory, but the truth of racial injustice cannot be hidden. Healing will only happen when we boldly expose the injustice perpetuated by racist systems.
The American Mosque: Growing and Evolving
The number of mosques in the US has increased by 31% to nearly 2,800 last year, up from over 2,100 in 2010. They have given back to their communities every day through charity, service and interreligious cooperation and sharing.
June 17, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Senate Unanimously Passes Bill Making Juneteenth a National Holiday; A Boise Church ‘Repents’ and Removes a Confederate Icon. Are Others in Idaho Next?; Timeless Treasure: Clock in Old North Church Ticks Again; Oklahoma Family Turns Abandoned 1893 Church Into Their Dream Home; Faith Still Shapes Morals and Values Even After People are ‘Done’ with Religion; and more
Reaction & Response | Uber-Rich Pay Little in Taxes
The wealthiest U.S. citizens pay very little in federal taxes each year, a report found, while poor and middle-class households shouldered a greater share. Experts told Good Faith Media this regressive system can’t continue.
God’s Cathedral
Where do you sense God’s presence most clearly? While many people find that sacred feeling inside monumental cathedrals, the glories of nature incite a different sense of wonder that point many toward thoughts of a creator.
Emerging Voices | Celebrating Black Freedom, Moral Imagination
Abraham Lincoln’s vision to imagine an America without slavery inspired millions. Our moral imagination must be like Lincoln’s – bold enough to fight against injustices in society that threaten the mutual flourishing of everyone.
June 16, 2021
In today’s news and analysis headlines: Francis Collins, NIH Director: We Asked God for Help with COVID19, and Vaccines are the ‘Answer to that Prayer’; Unlike Other U.S. Religious Groups, Most Atheists and Agnostics Oppose the Death Penalty;
Florida Schools Prepare for New Mandatory Moment of Silence; and more