Recent Articles
International Day of Peace | Don’t Hold Your Peace
International Day of Peace or World Peace Day will be celebrated on September 21st. But with multiple wars and genocides all happening at the same time and thus top of mind for many Americans, it might seem like nothing more than a thought experiment.
“I Know All” Christians
Scripture is not a tool to affirm our biases but a guide that challenges us to grow, love and serve beyond our comfort zones. We must approach it with humility and openness rather than an “I Know All” mindset.
The Precedent for Saying “Enough” Gun Violence
The right to consume this gun culture is not only causing others to sin by killing the innocent but advancing the opposing message to life found in the gospel– death.
Americans Welcome ‘Active Shooter’ into the Classroom
“Students,” the teacher begins, “please welcome our newest addition to class.” The young man sheepishly scans his new classmates, thinking, “How will they respond to me? What will their parents say when they find out?” The teacher continues, “Class, our new student’s name is Active Shooter.”
Gun Reform is Reproductive Justice
The term and framework “reproductive justice” turned 30 this year. Not to be confused or used interchangeably with “reproductive rights,” the framework of reproductive justice invites us to go deeper into dignity.
The First 929 Chapters: The Importance of Teaching God’s Story in the Old Testament
Growing up we very rarely learn the Old Testament outside of the fun Sunday school stories. It’s far more difficult to talk to children about the prophecies of Jeremiah or the condemnation of Ezekiel. While I agree that certain material is not appropriate for a certain age, there is an issue in contemporary Christian culture that needs to be addressed.
Look Back | ‘Caving into Culture’ Is Often Needed
A common refrain from Christians defending the status quo is that they follow the unchanging Bible, while others cave into modern culture. Here’s why such claims are problematic – and why “caving into culture” can be the right decision.
Turning Over Tables at One Tree Hill
What becomes the ethical praxis available to the marginalized when all is hopeless? What can they do when there isn’t enough power, profit or privilege to surmount institutionalized oppression?
Questioning Football and Faith
My earliest memories of football have nothing to do with anything that happened on the field of play but rather long trips through the backwoods of East Texas with my dad, going to and from games.
New Research Details American Susceptibility to Authoritarianism
A new Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey finds four in ten Americans (41%) are susceptible to authoritarianism.
Public Education Week | Would Eliminating the Department of Education be Such a Big Deal?
Since the native language of the current Republican nominee for president is lies, it can be tempting for political observers to overlook misleading statements from the other side. But to provide good faith arguments for the most pressing issues of our day, we must be willing to call out bad faith politics wherever they occur.
Wisdom Wherever You Find It | Diamonds Are Forever (Y One)
A long time ago, I had an argument with a friend who worked in the president’s administration. The public assistance program of the federal government was undergoing one of its cyclical reevaluations and a proposal had gained some currency that required recipients without a disabling condition to find work after a period of time or lose their benefits.
Seven Deadly Sins of Leaders
Leadership season is open. We will soon elect a president of the United States and other officials in national, state and local governments. At this time of year, church nominating committees typically start preparing a list of church leaders to be elected. Such times allow us to reflect on what we want in a leader.
New Survey Finds Most European American Christians Will Vote for Donald Trump
A new Pew Research Center survey finds that majorities in three key religious groups, “White evangelical Protestants,” White Catholics,” and “White nonevangelical Protestants,” will vote for Donald Trump in the next presidential election. These groups have traditionally preferred the policies of the Republican Party.
Americans Slightly More Confident about Economy in August
Americans’ confidence in the economy rose slightly in August from the previous month for the first time since March. But the majority still believe we are in economic dark times.
Private School Voucher Programs are not the Answer
The problem of “failing schools” is not necessarily that one school is better or worse than the other – the problem is that they are the same.
Public Schools and the Potential for “Thy Kin-dom Come”
When you communicate to someone that who they are isn’t welcome in public life, you’re sending a clear message that you believe they don’t belong in any kind of life. The Trevor Project’s research on LGBTQ+ youth suicide is a sobering testament to that reality.
Public Education Week | Commit This to Memory
From legally segregated to exclusive private schools, white supremacist tantrums have resulted in taking the best land, entire buildings, all the new books and the most resources to their neighborhoods. Hoarding “the earth and the fullness thereof,” racism continues to pollute the minds of those racialized as white, who feel entitled to special treatment and further extends the timeline for when we can all sit together in the cafeteria.
Public Education Week | Let Freedom Read
The ability to read, learn, and think for oneself sets a free society apart from an oppressive one. When we allow the banning of books, we edge closer to a republic where fear dictates what can be accessed, expressed, thought, and known.
Satisfaction with K-12 Education Rises Slightly in 2024
A new Gallup Social Series Poll found that slightly more Americans are satisfied with the state of K-12 education in the country than in 2023. However, dissatisfaction rates are still higher than those who feel good about the U.S. education system.
Faith and Democracy: Protecting Both, Compromising Neither
Good Faith Media believes in a gospel of radical inclusion and abundant love. We seek to amplify marginalized voices and share inspiring stories championing the power of love and the importance of light. We will not let the world grow dark on our watch. There is too much light in the world for that to happen.
Beverly Jenkins: Invested Faith Changemaker Leading the Way to Hope
In August, Invested Faith Founder Dr. Amy K. Butler and the Invested Faith team, along with Good Faith Media, visited with Invested Faith Fellows who are working in the greater St. Louis, Missouri, area. This week, we will share the stories of three of these 2024 Invested Faith Fellows.
For Things That Can Be Fixed | A Meditation on Philippians 2:4-5
A meditation on looking to the interests of others in the midst of gun violence.
Tim Alberta Encourages Baylor Audiences to Reject the Idolatry of Power
Tim Alberta shared themes from his latest book with audiences at Baylor University on Wednesday. He also spoke about issues surrounding the state of the 2024 Presidential election.
Marcy Bursac: Invested Faith Changemaker Leading the Way to Hope
Approximately 113,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted. Marcy Bursac wants to change that. She describes her work as a passion project to help every waiting child in foster care find a home with their forever family.
Enough Already!
I grieve for missing family members, loved ones and friends who refuse to be in the same room with us because we disagree about the date of the earth’s creation or believe in women’s rights to bodily autonomy.
Season Five of the Raceless Gospel Podcast Collects ‘A Love Offering’
Named for the voluntary contributions given from the heart of members, the fifth season examines the North American church’s relationship with money and what happens when the divine is revealed in dollar signs.
Josh Richardson: Invested Faith Changemaker Leading the Way to Hope
In August, Invested Faith Founder Dr. Amy K. Butler and the Invested Faith team, along with Good Faith Media, visited with Invested Faith Fellows who are working in the greater St. Louis, Missouri, area. This week, we will share the stories of three of these 2024 Invested Faith Fellows.
Church Finances are Improving but Still Lag Behind Inflation
A recent report by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research found that almost a quarter (24%) of congregations in the United States are financially operating at a deficit.
The Spirit of Justice: An Interview with Jemar Tisby
Many people don’t realize that the appetite for books on racial justice has plummeted in the years since the 2020 racial justice uprisings. To be candid, that has a lot to do with “white racial fatigue.”