Recent Articles
August 3, 2020
Today’s curated news stories include: Trump’s overarching goal of white supremacy; the lies textbooks told about slavery; churches grappling with mask mandates; COVID-19’s lasting legacy on spirituality; and more.
Opening Blind Eyes to Reclaim Our World
For many white people who have never seen racial injustice up close, their attitude has been, ‘It’s someone else’s problem.’ Not any longer. In the end, racial justice is reclaiming the sacred intention of a world interwoven by love.
John Lewis Crosses Alabama Bridge One Last Time
Watching John Lewis cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I felt a holy conviction. We are responsible for carrying onward in his just battle. As surely as the arc of the universe bends toward justice, we must be part of the bending.
Gullibility Often Harms Christian Credibility
US Christianity has lost its credibility. Why? A large swath of US Christians prefers to advance a political ideology that soothes their fears. Bearing false witness is OK for many of them if it leads to a desired political end.
Isn’t it Time to Purge Those Old Habits?
The Hebrew Bible talks about people having a hardness of heart. It’s a reference to a bad habit. Today, many progressive Christians have bad habits they need to break, such as racism, sexism and wanting to be patted on the back.
July 31, 2020
In today’s curated headline news: eulogies to John Lewis; an Alabama politician and Southern Baptist pastor who headlined a KKK leader’s birthday celebration and was then forced to resign from his church; a church targeted because of a Black Lives Matter sign; and more.
Fields of Dreams: Lessons from Sports
We are hearing ‘play ball’ for baseball and other sports around the US. The very best plays this season may be those outside the lines: standing in solidarity to combat racism and yielding the field when public health is at risk.
Confederate Statues Laud Wrong View of History
Statues in public places present a specific point of view and claim that their version of history is the public version of history. Because I care about history, that’s why I support Confederate statues coming down.
Families, Individuals Often Drive Human Trafficking
We think of human trafficking within the context of organized crime. In many cases, however, it is driven in a local context by loose networks of families or individuals operating independently. Juana’s story is just one example.
July 30, 2020
Today’s curated news stories include: white supremacist’s incitement of riots, white evangelicals potentially embracing clean energy, batman visits a South Carolina church, and more.
Death, Taxes and a Surprising Find
Taxes have been around since the emergence of urban civilization but weren’t always paid in coins or checks. Many ancient Hebrews paid taxes in the form of grain, wine or olive oil, which were then stored in large pottery jars.
The Truth Tom Cotton Can’t Handle About Slavery
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton can’t handle the truth. He called slavery a ‘necessary evil,’ but his logic is flawed. Kidnapping, enslaving, raping, stealing the lives and labor of Africans were deliberate evils based on greed, not need.
Questioning Racial Identity: Living on Wrong Terms
‘Who am I really?’ While we all face this question in our lives at some point, I continued to wrestle with my racialized identity after graduation. One day, I asked a question that answered me. ‘Do I have to be Black?’
US Leads Fight in Human Trafficking – Or Does It?
The US led the world in fighting human trafficking 20 years ago. Where are we today? The government prosecuted fewer cases and secured convictions against fewer traffickers for two years in a row. And that’s just the start.
July 29, 2020
Today’s curated news stories include: analysis of white Christian nationalism; the Christian mask-wearing debate; insights from the Supreme Court’s recent LGBTQ decision; and an ancient church uncovered in Israel.
Archives, Subscription Options Enhance Journal’s Access
Willie Nelson wrote a song called ‘Three Days’ about lost love. With less twang and despair, we want readers to enjoy and benefit from reading Nurturing Faith Journal – yesterday, today and tomorrow. Here’s how you can do it.
Some Still Revising South’s Reasons for Civil War
Shortly after the Civil War, a movement began called The Lost Cause, seeking to reframe the reasons the South fought the war to make their motives appear more sympathetic. Sadly, the playbook has been updated for the 21st century.
Slaves, Masters Still Exist in US Today
There are still masters and slaves. Human trafficking is still an issue involving race, age, economics and gender. And we must acknowledge we still have slaves and slaveholders in the US. Why do we continue to allow such depravity?
July 28, 2020
In today’s curated news stories: John Lewis honored in the Capitol Rotunda; a Republican congressman says slavery was a “necessary evil”; churches that are most likely to be meeting in person again during the pandemic; lukewarm faith shrinks around the world; and more.
As Monuments Come Tumbling Down
The Baptist narrative reflects a decidedly white supremacist perspective. That’s why it’s time to address some long-forgotten ghosts in the Baptist history closet. Consider these embarrassing moments of recent discovery.
Your Church Can’t Separate Faith, Anti-Racism Work
Churches do not get to compartmentalize issues of faith and race. Churches must understand the dominant, white culture and, if truly committed to the work of anti-racism, will make every effort to dismantle white supremacy.
After COVID-19, We’ll Need Churches Who Heal
While the coronavirus has taken its toll on congregations, as we come out of this pandemic, the new missionary field of churches just might be mental and emotional health. We will need churches who heal.
July 27, 2020
Today’s curated news stories include John Lewis’s funeral’; evangelical women who are leaving Trump and their churches; a Christian organization’s response to a male congressman’s “verbal attacks” on AOC; a look back to churches and the pandemic of 1918; and more.
6 Examples of Good News on Environmental Front
With a news cycle that feels like a gerbil on a spinning wheel track, six dramatic actions on slowing ecological disaster should be celebrated – even when you realize we’re still in deep trouble with regard to our climate crisis.
The Public Can Handle Ethical Thinking
Three-fourths of Americans have had a dim view of the nation’s moral climate for nearly 20 years. More than two-thirds currently believe things are getting worse. These statistics should cause alarm in the faith and moral community.
U.S. Rep. John Lewis: A Leader Who Served
For U.S. Rep. John Lewis, following Jesus was about making an impact in the world based on Jesus’ teachings. The world could be a much better place if more of us followed Lewis’ example as he chose to follow the example of Jesus.
When God Forges Our Faith on Life’s Anvil
God uses our experiences to forge our faith on the anvil of our lives. From the coronavirus pandemic to our renewed awareness of racism in the US, it can be a moment of profound opportunity for people of faith.
July 24, 2020
Today’s curated news stories include a clash between a Christian writer and federal forces in Portland; white evangelicals and toxic masculinity; bipartisan agreement on the removal of Confederate statues from the Capitol; and much more.
Good Trouble Means Getting in the Way
There was no greater giant for civil rights and racial justice than the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis. He was often beaten and jailed for his beliefs. Lewis never hesitated to move beyond his words to get in the way of injustice.
Recalling John Lewis: ‘We Have Come Too Far’
John Lewis, civil-rights icon and US congressman from Georgia, always will be remembered among the ranks of America’s greatest leaders for enduring brutality while peacefully helping move America toward freedom and justice for all.