Recent Articles
Walter Rauschenbusch’s Concern for Justice
Conscience and compassion drove Rauschenbusch’s passion for justice. Advocating for distributive justice, he sought to create a social order that placed the common good of all above the economic profits of a few.
Springsteen Jeep Ad Echoes Themes He’s Sung about for Decades
The central message in Bruce Springsteen’s Jeep ad reiterates themes he’s been singing about for decades. It calls us to have faith that the ties that bind us, for all our faults, fears and shortcomings, are ultimately stronger than the walls others build to divide us.
February 19, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Ohio Mother Living in Sanctuary at Church to Go Home After Three Years; Gen Z is Deconstructing Religion and Finding Faith; Faith in Numbers: Behind the Gender Difference of non-Religious Americans; Former Trump Cabinet Member Launches Christian Nationalist Think Tank; Attacks on Ancient Religious Sites in Ethiopia Kill Hundreds; and more
Do God’s Promises Extend to Savlanut, Sarah and Tseba?
Ever heard of Savlanut, Sarah and Tseba? Though not identified in the Bible, these could have been the names of the wives of Noah’s sons. They needed to know, just like women today, that God’s promises are for them.
The Cold Reality of Climate Change
Temperatures plummeted across the U.S. this week when a polar vortex swept across the nation, leaving millions without power. We must act now to address climate change, which is causing both extreme warm and cold weather patterns.
The Azan Is a Call to Both Prayer and Justice
Social justice is provocative and alarming, shocking the world into a better place. It is at the very heart of The Prophet Muhammad’s message and is a central part of the Islamic creed.
February 18, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Black Church is Having a Moment; At a Baptist College in Virginia, a Disagreement Over Athletes Kneeling During National Anthem; Health Policy Expert: They Say They are Attacking Abortion. They are Really Hurting the Poor.; Right-wing Justices Think Religion is Under Siege. Will the Full Supreme Court Follow?; and more.
Sneaking Off to Mass and Returning with a Face Tattoo
A boy in my mom’s preschool told his parents about her “face tattoo” after she returned from Ash Wednesday Mass. What if our ashen crosses really were tattoos? What would they say about us?
Would Jesus Wear a Seat Belt?
While the Bible says remarkably little about wearing seat belts or speeding, it has a lot to say about caring for others and working for the common good. Let’s ensure our daily actions exhibit conscious caring.
Holiness Code Envisions Communal Justice
The Holiness Code is not simply about how one person can live a holy life, but how a community can become holy. As Jews, we are taught that we should not be satisfied with the world as it is but strive for a world as it ought to be.
February 17, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Ash Wednesday Rituals Tweaked for Coronavirus as Christians are Reminded of Death; On Social Media, Vaccine Misinformation Mixes with Extreme Faith; Republican Lawmaker Shunned by His Family for Going Against God by Voting to Impeach Trump; Orthodox Church in Black Sea Region Plundered by Treasure Hunters; and more
Christian Justice: Between Civic Religion and Christian Nationalism
In working for a just social order, Christians must avoid capitulation to civic religion on one side, and Christian nationalism on the other. The Christian desire for justice turns to a different path: local commitment and sacrifice.
Unlearned Lessons about Religion and Power
Some religious leaders have been quick to capitulate to political power throughout history, conferring assurance of God’s blessings in exchange for favor and privilege. Such “court evangelicals” remain prominent today.
White Evangelical Protestants Hold Divergent Religious Liberty, Discrimination Views
White evangelical Protestants in the U.S. hold views on religious liberty and discrimination that often diverge from the rest of the nation, a report found. Nearly three-quarters say religious liberty is being threatened, compared to only 42% of all adults.
February 16, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Problem Isn’t Just One Insurrection. It’s Mass Radicalization.; The Agency Founded Because of 9/11 is Shifting to Face the Threat of Domestic Terrorism; Alliance of Baptists Chooses Restitution and Redemption from Thief Who Stole $20,000; How Christian Booksellers Survived 2020; and more.
Some White Christians Demand Accountability, but Only for Others
Some white Christians in the U.S. speak a great deal about accountability but apply it selectively. When others seek to hold them accountable, they talk about grace, all the time that is past, and the confusing arithmetic of justice.
Technology Is a Tool, Not the Church’s Salvation
The pandemic has forced all congregations to adapt, implementing approaches and using technologies some had resisted previously. While technology is a helpful tool, it is not the church’s savior.
Be Kind: A Simple Practice to Change the World
Kindness is a simple concept that, when put into practice, can make the world a more humane place. Let’s seek to do this kind of living, demonstrating a better way to our children.
Progress on U.S. Racial Relations Becoming Less Evident
Fewer U.S. adults affirmed progress in racial relations in late 2020 than six years ago, a report found. More than half of respondents said racial relations became more strained under the Trump administration.
February 15, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Biden Reestablishes Faith-Based Partnerships Office and Names Melissa Rogers to Lead It; The Way Out of America’s Zero-Sum Thinking on Race and Wealth; White Evangelical Protestants Identified as Group Most Proud to be Americans: Survey; Religion and the Death Penalty Collide at the Supreme Court; and more
People of Good Faith: Renée Owen
Renée Lloyd Owen is a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-endorsed healthcare chaplain with more than 20 years of experience meeting the unique spiritual, religious, and cultural needs of patients, their families and healthcare providers.
Satisfaction with Organized Religion, Moral Climate Declines in U.S.
Perception of organized religion and the nation’s moral climate is declining among U.S. adults, a report found. Less than half are satisfied with organized religion’s influence, while eight-in-ten are dissatisfied with the country’s moral / ethical climate.
Look Back | Panelists Urge New Covenant Baptists to Fight Institutional Racism
The church’s struggle against racism is no longer primarily about skin color, but institutions that bestow privilege on some and penalties on others, panelists emphasized at the 2008 New Baptist Covenant gathering. We live in a racialized society.
February 12, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Some Capitol Rioters Believed They Answered God’s Call, Not Just Trump’s; A ‘Scary’ Survey Finding: 4 in 10 Republicans say Political Violence May be Necessary; White Evangelicals Most Susceptible to False Conspiracy Theories; The Significance of the Black Church Throughout America’s History; Television Show Partners with Philosophers to Explore Philosophy of Religion; and more
Freedom of Speech Is Not the Absence of Responsibility
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are citing the First Amendment in his defense at the Senate impeachment trial. While freedom of speech is a sacred right, this argument fails at the point of legal precedent, as well as honest assessment and application.
Pandemic Has Changed Grieving Rituals
COVID-19 has changed much of the grieving process rituals we once carried out, so how can we walk with the grieving during these extraordinary days of loss? Here are four pathways that adapt pre-pandemic rituals.
February 11, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The World According to ‘God’s Harvard’; Americans Far More Likely to Say Evangelicals Will Lose Influence, Rather than Gain It, Under Biden; First Baptist Church of Huntsville Has UV-C Lights Installed; Returning to In-Person Worship; Southern Baptist Leaders Called Kamala Harris a ‘Jezebel.’ That’s Not Just Insulting, It’s Dangerous, Experts Say; and more
Baptist Theologian Becomes Interim President at UCC Seminary
Molly T. Marshall, a retired Baptist theologian, will become the interim president of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities on March 1. Established in 1962 and located in St. Paul, Minnesota, the school is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
Don’t Let Politeness Keep You from Confronting Lies
Poor thinking skills and blatant lies are widespread in society today, particularly on social media. A desire to be polite should not prevent us from confronting falsehoods with facts. We have a responsibility to call out mistruths.
Is Our Number One Problem Really Number Two?
Online advertisements make all sorts of outlandish claims, ranging from clickbait headlines to dietary supplement promotions to conspiracy theories. People of faith should be more discerning, able to recognize truth from lies.