Recent Articles
Lifeway Report Finds All Churches Have Returned to In-Person Worship Post-Pandemic
Nearly all U.S. Protestant churches are meeting in-person since the end of the pandemic, according to a report released by Lifeway Research last month. Churches have also returned to pre-pandemic numbers and a new normal.
November 7, 2023
Got to Have Faith: Religion Finds it Moment at COP28; First Baptist Abilene Dedicates $10 Million Community Center; ‘Jesus, How I Love Thee’: Kansas Public School District Warned About Bible Lessons, Worship Songs (and more)
Below the Surface: A Conversation with Jaimee Harris
“It’s hard for me to separate Christianity in particular from any piece of my life because, when I was younger, I was so ‘in,’” Harris reflected. She added, “The church gave me my first opportunity to be involved in music. It gave me a social group. It gave me a place to be accepted.”
New Report Finds Most Asian American Lives Shaped by Discrimination
U.S. stereotypes of Asian Americans as a “model minority” and “forever foreigner” fuel discrimination, according to a report released by the Pew Research Center on November 30.
Film Review: Napolean
Maybe you will find more here than I did. But I can say that the only thing about this movie that I enjoyed was that my wife liked it.
December 6, 2023
Studies: Social Media Does Not Change Minds; Christian Scholar Sues Bible College After Being Fired Over Social Media Post on Homosexuality; In Solidarity with Gaza, West Bank Church Cancels Christmas Celebrations (and more)
Handing Over the Hammer
Since taking on a $ 1.60-an-hour dishwashing job as a teen, I’ve been continuously employed in some capacity. While I can’t imagine doing nothing, facing a stage of life without the current deadlines, meetings and other commitments is inviting.
A Growing Number of Americans Get News on TikTok
More Americans are turning to TikTok as their news source, according to a Pew Research report released on November 15.
Concerning the Jesus Gene
When people work to put in place public policy which helps create a more equitable and welcoming society for all persons, I don’t call that “wokism.” I call it baptism.
December 5, 2023
‘Why are We at Each Other’s Throats?’: Panel Unpacks Role of Polarization in the Church; How Religion Places into Ron Densantis’ Public Image – From ‘Armor of God’ to a Bible Ordered in Amazon; Panel Discusses Protecting Human Rights in Palestinian Territories (and more)
No Enemy Lines
While we draw hard lines to mark who we are for and against, Jesus didn’t cross anyone off his list. The story of Saul and Stephen is a fitting example of this.
The Cooking of the Greens
There would be multiple green things involved, after all, but we finally agreed on “Hanging of the Green,” even though some thought it sounded a bit uppity.
2023 Advent Reflection: Hope
But what if hope is never lost? What if it is an anchor with a line that feels tight and taut, right next to our hearts, and also a line that sometimes goes slack, with God holding fast through it all?
December 4, 2023
Police Raid Gay Venues in Russia After Top Court Bans ‘International LGBTQ Movement’; New Study Links Christian Nationalism to Increased Prejudice Against Atheists; My Father, My Faith, and Donald Trump (and more)
“Your ‘Kin-dom’ Come”: An Advent Podcast Series Reminds Listeners That We Are Family
“Your ‘Kin-dom’ Come” moves listeners from a Sunday morning prayer to a practice of relating that says we are ready—not just for Jesus but for each other. Gathered around the story of Jesus’ birth, the Advent series from The Raceless Gospel podcast invites listeners to remember our relatedness and reconnect as family.
I Am Vermin
At this rate, the question is becoming less “if” but “when.” When will the powder keg upon which our society rests explode into massive violence?
Look Back | Is Anti-Zionism Antisemitism?
Jews affirm that one can criticize Israel without being antisemitic. Where is the line drawn? A little context is necessary before an adequate answer can be given.
December 1, 2023
The National Association of Christian Lawmakers: The Christian Nationalist Machine Turning Hate Into Law; U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to Address Christian Nationalist Lawmakers Group; Oregon Church Gifts Land Back for Indigenous Tiny Home Village
An Indigenous Lesson
The gesture seemed to be one of respect and honor, a feeling that was certainly reciprocal. It was hard to pull away from such sacred majesty, but their actions left me feeling great pride.
More Than Half of Americans Say U.S. “Losing Ground” on Illegal Drug Problem
More than half (52%) of Americans believe the United States is “losing ground” when it comes to illegal drugs, according to a Gallup report released on November 11.
Confessions of a Haunted Christian Ethicist
I am haunted by the number of groups who are complicit in creating the circumstances that have led to this war.
November 30, 2023
Historic NC A.M.E. Church to Build Affordable Housing in Black Neighborhood; Justice Department Gets Behind Southern Oregon Church Told by City to Stop Feeding Homeless Residents; Historian: America Once Valued Life More than Guns. How Did That Change? (and more)
The Seventh Pillar: Is a Cure for Loneliness Hiding in Plain Sight?
Of course, the two go hand in hand. Connection and the hope of reconnection make retreating into lonely places a more tenable practice.
With My Own Eyes
What we see and hear isn’t always what we think it is. We may love how it comes together to form an appealing image, and that’s wonderful when it’s a work of art.
Look Back | Critiquing Israel and Palestine: Lessons from the Interfaith World
Humans tend to compare the best in themselves with the worst in others. Here is what I believe to be true: there are no innocent parties in the Middle East.
November 29, 2023
Rosalynn Carter Honored by Family, Friends, First Ladies and Presidents, Including Her Husband; Rosalynn Carter Tributes Highlight Her Reach as First Lady and Humanitarian; Ex-Bush Official Blasts Trump’s Recent ‘Dehumanizing’ Rhetoric as a ‘Sickening Episode’ in the History of American Christianity (and more)
Author Nudges Readers Beyond Sentimentality Toward Mystery of Christmas
McGowin moves readers from the background of Christmas to its practices today — where family and faith traditions take various shapes. Some aspects enhance the spiritual significance while others distract from it.
Call It Fascism, Please
Fascism is a clear and present threat to life, freedom, democracy, and peace in the United States, Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and elsewhere in the world. I wish the folks who are warning about religious nationalism would recognize that threat before it is too late.
Do Americans Still Trust the Science?
Confidence in science and the belief in its positive impact has fallen among Americans, according to a Pew Research Report released on November 14.
November 28, 2023
The United Methodist Church in Oklahoma is Looking for Positives After Rifts and Exits; 60,000 People March Against Antisemitism in London, Including ex-PM Boris Johnson; How a Southern California Artist Created One of the World’s Largest Stained-Glass Windows (and more)