Recent Articles
October 2, 2023
Church Bans are Growing Across Florida. So, a Church and Bookstore Teamed up in Protest; LDS Church President Announces 20 New Temples – Second Most at One Time; Inside the Vast Digital Campaign by Hindu Nationalists to Inflame India (and more)
Look Back| Racism Cannot Be Tolerated in Church. Period.
How can churches who specifically name values like diversity, inclusion or tolerance still end up racially homogenous? Perhaps we must do more. In this case, align ourselves with clearly defined antiracist positions and boundaries.
Fighting Hunger (for Food & Books) in the Summer Months: An Interview with Linda English
Most of our work at “Hunger News & Hope” surrounds hunger and food insecurity among individuals experiencing poverty. One such connection between poverty and hunger is the increased likelihood of families experiencing poverty to reside in a community with limited access to affordable, healthy foods, also known as a “food desert.”
September 29, 2023
Sex Abuse Allegations Against a Deceased Cardinal Add to the German Church’s Troubles; Historic Northeast Church Building Will Become a Preschool; New Book Explores J.R.R. Tolkien’s Faith and How it Imbued His Work
Running Through the New South
Our run through South Carolina inspired and filled our souls as we encountered some great people. The Baptist Christians we met in South Carolina are working to carve out a new future.
When Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis
If you are struggling with mental health issues, do reach out to someone—a trusted friend or family member or a mental health professional. Share your struggles and ask for help.
September 28, 2023
This Christian Text You’ve Never Heard of, The Shepherd of Hermes, Barely Mentions Jesus – But it Was a Favorite of Early Christians Far and Wide; ‘When in Doubt, Ban it.’ Not Even Lawyers Can Decipher Florida’s Book Law; One-Third of Texas Foster Care Caseworkers Left Their Jobs Last Year as the Agency Continued Putting Kids in Hotels
Domestic Tranquility for Whom?
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility…” These 19 words enshrined at the start of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution provide a vision for a republic yet established.
Survey: The Future of the Modern American Family Receives Mixed Reviews
Americans are largely pessimistic about the future of the family, according to a recent Pew Research Center report.
September 27, 2023
Louisiana Opens Preliminary Civil Rights Museum at New Orleans Convention Center; For $18.65, Famous Artist Designs Racial Justice Windows for National Cathedral; Jimmy Carter’s Final Chapter: Peanut Butter Ice Cream and His 99th Birthday (and more)
Countless Lessons From Fisher Humphreys
Fisher wrote the book to share his story with family and close friends. He realized how much he wishes his parents and grandparents had recorded their stories to be passed from generation to generation. For me, it was another opportunity to learn from a superb teacher.
A New Worship Resource Is Available From Nurturing Faith Books
The newest book on the shelf at Good Faith Media’s bookstore offers resources for personal and communal worship.
America Going From a Culture War to a Civil War Is Not a Stretch of the Imagination
America’s current culture war can quickly lead to a civil war. Northern versus Southern states now Red versus Blue states, this country has been in conflict for hundreds of years.
A New Report Captures How College Students Are Feeling
College students are worried and stressed, according to a Gallup report published in early August.
September 25, 2023
After Florida Restricts Black History, Churches Step up to Teach It; An Army for Trump Sees 2024 as the ‘Last Change to Save the Nation’; Huckabee: 2024 Will be Last Election ‘Decided by ballots rather than bullets’ if Trump Loses Over Legal Case; Yom Kippur is the Holiest Day of the Year in Judaism. Here’s What That Means (and more)
Look Back| What Should We Call Ourselves?
I used to pride myself in being Mexican-American, saying the hyphen served as a bridge between two cultures. These days I find myself wanting to draw the bridge up or burn it down.
Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) and Trusting Relationships
The challenge is to turn toward our conflicts, differences and difficulties with spiritual ascension, nonjudgmental awareness, and spiritual compassion (actions) as we relate to others. This mandates beginning and maintaining trusting relationships.
Nevertheless She Preached 2023
The conference focused on everlasting female and queer voices. Many of the speakers preached and spoke about the importance of matriarchal voices and representation.
By the Way| Brazen and Illegal
The act was brazen and according to the canons of the Episcopal Church, illegal. On July 29, 1974, eleven women gathered at Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia and were ordained to the priesthood.
Things Are Not As Bad As They Seem
Americans have long believed that social inequities are not as bad as they seem. But as was the case in Germany, that view has always been not merely debatable, but wrong.
The Kin-dom is Kin- nough: A Queer Take on ‘Barbie’
There’s one doll in this movie who didn’t get closure and inclusion: Allan, Ken’s best friend. In a binary-based world where everyone’s either a gorgeous Barbie or a handsome Ken, where does Allan belong?
While Healing from Church Hurt, Consider These Resources
For individuals who want to do more outside of sessions with their therapists, I recommend these texts, interviews and podcasts as resources.
Simon Cowell Puts a Spotlight on Therapy
As a therapist, I appreciate not just what Cowell has done to bring forward new talent around the world, but also to encourage men to not be afraid to seek therapy.
“Free, White and Twenty-One”: Who’s Holding Believers in White Supremacy Accountable?
I have these visions of a raceless kin-dom that is coming. But I still see what’s right in front of me. White supremacy propping itself up with more and more dead bodies.
Book Review| From Distrust to Trust: Controversies and Conversations in Faith Communities
From Distrust to Trust is written to help congregations encounter these shifts with honest dialogue and hopeful trust. This book ably describes health-giving trust as a means to explore these changes.
Fellowship Southwest’s Inaugural Compassion & Justice Conference Centers Storytelling, Truth-Telling and Embodiment
Fellowship Southwest held its inaugural Compassion & Justice Conference in Dallas, Texas, on September 8-9. The conference brought together award-winning authors, well-known speakers, worship leaders and attendees committed to justice for the sake of a more compassionate world.
Look Back | An Ethics of Continuity
When you feel frustrated by a lack of progress, or overwhelmed by the pace of change, consider the writer of Ecclesiastes. It reminds us that transitions are inevitable and that there is ‘nothing new under the sun.’
Expanding the Concept of Ekklēsia
Over the last week, my understanding of ekklēsia (church) has expanded. In four instances, I discovered the concept of ekklēsia in traditional and nontraditional settings.
Say What? Transposing an Iconic Sermon Title
Most memorable was the professor’s suggestion that in some
circumstances there was value in looking at the theology behind certain evangelical
appeals—specifically the concept of God reflected therein. He proposed that if Edwards
were preaching in our time, his title might need to be “God in the Hands of Angry
Sinners.”
Wisdom Wherever You Find It: In Between
It is in that gap between order and disorder that we live our lives, both on a macro level and a micro level.