Recent Articles
Why I Don’t Do Dueling Bible Verses
Dueling Bible verses is a popular game among some Christians when they discuss controversial subjects. I no longer play this game, because there is never a good result.
A Feature of the ‘Big Lie’ Is Always with Us
An untruth can be so blatantly obvious, so public, and responses to it so bizarre and unbelievable that it earns the “Big Lie” label. It then becomes a defining featured of public conversation.
New Nurturing Faith Book Shares Real Conversations with God
‘A Daily Prayer, Short and Sweet: Real Conversations with God’ is now available from Nurturing Faith Books. Author William G. Henderson Jr. shares conversations he’s had with God.
Don’t Read Society’s False Labels
Instructions. Labels. Price tags. I don’t read them, yet many others do. Stereotypes are like labels, ones that bear false witness. Many people rely on these labels to make sense of divisions and bank on additional privileges.
Why It’s Harder to See Your Family Doctor
Patients with a trusting relationship with a primary care provider are more likely to catch issues early and follow up with treatment. But we don’t have enough of these physicians for every American. Why? Two reasons, both economic.
Majority Favors Death Penalty Despite Doubts
Six out of 10 US adults support the death penalty for people convicted of murder, a report found. This majority support continues despite significant misgivings among the general public regarding its fairness and deterrence.
People of Good Faith: Julie Cloud
Julie Cloud is vice president of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation. She currently serves on Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board, Interfaith Alliance’s board and Perkins School of Theology’s executive board.
Record Level of US Supports Same-Sex Marriage
A record number of US adults (70%) say same-sex marriage ‘should be recognized by the law as valid’ and convey the same rights as ‘traditional marriages,’ a report found, up 43 points since the question was first polled in 1996.
Look Back | Breaking Down Walls of Power, Privilege
The dominant culture will offer forgiveness but seldom wants to relinquish the hold on power that privileges them. The walls of power and privilege must be torn down before any discussion of forgiveness can take place.
Greenwood, Come Forth! Reparations Now
At some point, the US needs to make reparations to the people groups whose lands were stolen, whose lives were enslaved and whose communities were shattered in order for white citizens to prosper. Greenwood is a perfect example.
Out-of-the-Box Ways COVID-19 Helped Our Congregation
The pandemic has been extremely difficult for clergy. One of the new ideas that became part of our congregational life was organizing Jewish programs on a statewide level in a way that was inconceivable prior to the pandemic.
Hospital Suspends 178 After Forced Vaccination Suit
On Tuesday, the Houston Methodist Hospital suspended without pay 178 of its employees who refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Earlier, more than 100 unvaccinated employees had sued the hospital over its vaccine mandate.
June 10, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Pressure Mounts for an Independent Investigation of SBC Executive Committee Handling of Abuse; Religiosity and Conspiratorial Beliefs Linked in Baylor Religion Survey Findings; Missouri Church Says it Won’t Back Down After Black Lives Matter Sign is Vandalized for Third Time in Month; As Organized Religion Declines, is Conspiracy the New Religion of Republicans?; and more
Trauma’s Long Reach Echoes for Generations
The remains of 215 children were found last month on the grounds of what was once Canada’s largest residential school for Indigenous people, who have had to experience the trauma passed down from one generation to the next.
Seriously Heirloom Crops
The next time you complain about making your dinner, remember our long-ago ancestors. Canaanite women would spend back-breaking hours rolling a rough milling stone back and forth to make flour. And that’s just the beginning.
How Gov’t Funding Spurs Vaccine Development
The US government has invested billions in vaccine development but doesn’t own any of the generated patents or have a right to the profits. It’s part of a public-private partnership, which has spawned numerous scientific advances.
June 9, 2021
In today’s news and curated headlines: Majority of Republicans Support Same-Sex Marriage for the First Time, Poll Finds; N.C. Legislature Sends Bill to Governor that Would Provide Right-to-Carry in Churches; Methodists Drop State Line Church, One of Seven Original Methodist Churches in Alabama; and more
Social-Media Critics Ignore Faces of Unemployment
Critics on social media – with their slew of posts, memes and gifs – disparage the extra dollars the unemployed receive as the cause of many of society’s ills. They forget that these are people and families struggling to survive.
‘Just 15 Minutes to Mourn’
As we return to normal in these days following more than a year of the pandemic, let us not forget those whose grief and other suffering extend beyond the time we tend to assign for them. Our sensitivity and care must be ongoing.
The Radically Inclusive Life of Rachel Held Evans
Rachel Held Evans would have turned 40 today. She became a prominent Christian blogger, author and speaker, who regularly rejected the biblicism, patriarchalism and homophobic ideas of the conservative Christianity of her youth.
June 8, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Meet the Tennessee Pastor Preaching Against Anti-LGBTQ Hat; Why is TikTok Turning a Hateful Radical Evangelist into a Viral Star?; Supreme Court to Hear Case of FBI Surveillance of Muslim Community; and more.
Don’t Live Memories Others Choose for You
We all have memories we prefer not to recall, but it’s better to live the truth than keep up appearances of a lie. Some would ask us to deny our own memories so they don’t have to accept their own. There’s a word for that.
Emerging Voices | Rebuilding Deconstructed Lives
Some people who experience tragedy, trauma and turbulence find their belief systems have not been constructed to uphold the impacts of such occurrences. Here are 3 ways to help them navigate the lonely process to rebuild their lives.
Christian Ethics: The Hard Road of Doing Right
Ethics is not popular among church folks. It involves more than just knowing Scripture; it involves ‘doing’ Scripture, and that’s where so many stumble. Ethics asks the hard questions. And that’s why ethics is not popular.
June 7, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: How is the GOP Adjusting to a Less Religious America?; Why it Matters that 7 States Still Have Bans on Atheists Holding Office; What the Pandemic Has Stolen from Black America; and more
People of Good Faith: Jim Qualls
Jim Qualls is husband of 38 years to Janna, proud dad to two grown daughters, proud to have acquired two fine sons-in-law. He serves as a member of Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board for news and opinion.
Making Sense of What Happens to You
With over half a million deaths in the US alone, the pandemic has touched all of us. The unseen lines of connection have been skewed or severed, crippling our once familiar communities. How do we rebuild the bridges connecting us?
Look Back | Where Racism Resides
Where does racism reside? Ultimately, it finds its resting place in human hearts. And many of those hearts huddle under church steeples on Sundays. If we want to move on, it requires confession and restoration, not avoidance.
Why Allies Must Speak Up for Each Other – Every Time
If Jews are being vilified or victimized because of an assumed association, those who support religious freedom and oppose hate crimes must take a stand. Allies need to speak up for each other – and act – without equivocation.
Entering Pentecost, Exiting COVID-19 Hibernation
As society emerges from a long period of enforced isolation and uncertainties about the future, the Western church begins to observe Pentecost. Could Pentecost provide insight as we move into our post-COVID-19 world?