Recent Articles
Time for Church to Serve as State’s Conscience
As Donald Trump’s presidency ends and Joe Biden’s begins, it has never been more important for the faith community to accept its calling to be what Martin Luther King Jr. called the conscience of the state, to speak truth to power.
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian Citizen?
Over the last 40 years, US Christians have been engulfed with Christian nationalism, which has overrun many evangelical churches, especially the last five years. It is time to revisit what it means to be a Christian citizen.
January 20, 2020
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Biden’s Big Bible is Heavy with History, Symbolism; The Rev. William Barber II to Headline Interfaith Inauguration Prayer Service; After Months of Trauma, Vaccinated Health-Care Workers Welcome a Surprising Emotion: Hope (Washington Post)
Philadelphia Church Bell Ringer Remembers Americans Lost to COVID; and more.
Deciphering the Evangelical Lexicon
The redefinition of Americanized Christianity from a primary call to follow Jesus to a fear-based ideology has solidified during the divisive political activities of recent years. To accomplish this, words had to change meanings.
Emerging Voices | The Emerging Church Has Bright Future
The church is changing. The emerging church places emphasis on inclusivity, social activism and care of the earth while embracing science as one way in which God reveals God’s self. But not everyone is excited about the change.
Polling US Religiosity: It’s a Complex Matter
Is the US less religious than previous data suggested, or does current data underestimate US religiosity? A Pew Research Center report seeks to answer such questions with a deep dive into its polling methodology and data sets.
January 19, 2020
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: After Trump, Biden Aims to Reshape Presidency Itself; ‘A Place to Fund Hope’: How White Supremacist Proud Boys and Other Fringe Groups Found Refuge on a Christian Fundraising Site; Rallies Ahead of Capitol Riot Were Planned by Established Washington Insiders, Including the Evangelical Council for National Policy; David Brooks: Trump Ignites a War Within the Church; What Jon Ossoff Means for the South and its Buried South; and more.
King: Churches Preserve, Don’t Oppose Status Quo
While many believe the church is the hope of the world, Martin Luther King Jr. had his doubts. He was right. The US church must give an account for how it has contributed to past and current culture conflicts felt by our nation.
Religious Freedom for All Attacked – Then and Now
Our Founding Fathers sought to protect religious freedom for all from tyrants. Those tyrants are still present today, seeking to impose their beliefs on others. We must defend religious freedom at all costs.
Emerging Voices | Physical Fitness Crucial for Churches
Over 40% of US adults and nearly 20% of children are obese. Ministers need to ensure they do not neglect addressing physical health as they administer pastoral care. Here are 5 ways your church can be more physically fit.
Look Back | King: Religious Freedom Champion
Martin Luther King Jr. was well aware of the Baptist distinctive to ensure the right of all to worship (or abstain from worship) freely, along with the conviction that separation of church and state was essential to such freedom.
January 15, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Capitol Riot Revealed the Darkest Nightmares of White Evangelical America; How Self-Proclaimed ‘Prophets’ from a Growing Christian Movement Provided Religious Motivation for the White Nationalist Insurrection; ‘He Groomed Them’: Many Black Philadelphians Don’t See How White People Didn’t See the Insurrection Coming; From the Capitol to Critical Race Theory, White Christians Grieve Declining Hegemony; and more.
Speak Up and Step Out: Surviving White Christian Nationalism
White Christian nationalists would rather burn the country to the ground than see equality for others achieved. We must confront their misguided ways with love, peace and justice to create a more perfect union for everyone.
King’s Nonviolent Resistance Was Way of Life
Nonviolent resistance was not a method but a way of life for Martin Luther King Jr., but it was not without danger. Indeed, the ultimate outworking of the adoption of nonviolence is a preparedness to give one’s life for the cause.
Emerging Voices | The Church and the Death Penalty
Here’s a troubling fact: Where the most Christians are populated in the US is directly correlated to the most executions. It’s a statement that should shock us all. Do we really want to claim we know if someone is beyond redemption?
We Need Constellating Light to Follow King’s Path
Admiring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is not the same as being captured by it. Too many find it possible to respect the man but relinquish the mission. It has become too easy to revere the dreamer but renege on the dream.
January 14, 2021
In today’s curated and analysis headlines: Scholars of Religion and Politics Respond to the Capitol Insurrection; QAnon Reshaped Trump’s Party and Radicalized Believers. The Capitol Siege May Just be the Start; ‘How Did We Get Here?’ A Call for an Evangelical Reckoning on Trump; and more
A New Look at an Old Word
The words we consider to be scripture were written by many different human persons over nearly 1,000 years, being constantly adapted and edited along the way. The Bible does not have to be perfect to tell us what we need to know.
The Other Dream of Martin Luther King Jr.
We all know about Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for racial equality, but he appeared to have another dream, inspired by his studies of the life of Mahatma Gandhi. This dream was for cooperation and understanding between religions.
God is in Control – Well, Not So Fast!
Some look at the terrorist attack on the US Capitol and say ‘God is in control.’ That abdicates the responsibility God has given us. Will we have the faith to move the mountains of racism, prejudice and white supremacy?
It’s Time to Name Our Sins
We must hold the people responsible for the attack on the US Capitol accountable. It’s also time for all of us to hold ourselves accountable by confessing our sins when we replaced a commitment to the common good with other loyalties.
January 13, 2021
Today’s curated news and analysis headlines include: Coverage of evangelicals and the Trump-led Capitol insurrection; Joe Biden’s Catholicism is All About Healing. Now, He Will be Leading a Divided Nation; Twitter Purged More Than 70,000 Accounts Affiliated With QAnon Following Capitol Riot; and more
There’s No Leapfrogging to Healing, Reconciliation
We can’t simply declare peace and harmony by ignoring that which has brought about conflict and injustice. Reconciliation requires honest confession, strategic planning and purposeful implementation.
King, Heschel: Fast Friends and Activists
Bound by a profound sense of mutual gratitude, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel had become fast friends, their lives intersecting in a brief period of time during the civil rights movement.
White America, This Is Who We Are
In the wake of the attack on the US Capitol, we need to stop saying ‘this is not who we are.’ This is who we are. We still support laws and policies that maintain white people at the top of the social and economic ladder.
We Warned You: This Was Trump Show’s Likely Ending
We warned you. This was how the Trump Show was likely to end – with something horrible, violent, terrifying. And then, on Jan. 6, domestic terrorists, spurred on by the president, stormed the Capitol. We warned you for years.
Another King Holiday: We’re Still Not Listening
It’s that time of year again when we pretend we believe him. We are remembering the dreamer, Martin Luther King Jr., though last year was clear evidence we had fallen asleep at the wheel. We haven’t come together – ever.
Christian Percentage of Global Population to Increase
The number of Christians as a percentage of the global population is expected to increase over the next few decades, with the percentage increasing slightly to 32.5% by 2025 and rising to 35% by 2050, a report said.
Lott Carey Podcast Explores Black Pastoral Leadership
A new podcast series drawing from the wisdom of Black pastors premieres Wednesday. ‘Pilgrimages of Striving and Thriving’ explores how Black pastoral leaders in the US flourish in their various ministerial contexts.
January 11, 2021
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: First Baptist D.C.’s Response to Insurrection at the Capitol; A Christian Insurrection; David French: Only the Church Can Truly Defeat a Christian Insurrection; and more