Recent Articles
Interrupt History When It Starts to Repeat Itself
When history repeats itself, interrupt it. We’ve heard these stories of injustice before and unless this is a particular favorite of yours, we’ve got to stop police brutality.
What If Jesus Came to the ‘Bible Belt’?
There is a chasm that yawns ever wider between popular evangelical Christianity in the U.S. and the person from whom Christianity got its start all those years ago. One wonders what Jesus would think about the buckle on the Bible Belt if he ever passed along Interstate 20.
June 5, 2023
Carter and the Kings: A Friendship and an Alliance – But After MLK’s Assassination; America’s Christian Leaders Sharply Divided Over Abortion, a Year After Roe v. Wade’s Reversal; How Chick-Fil-A Became a Target for Going ‘Woke’ (CNN)
Thousands Expected for Annual Christian Homeschool Gathering in Colorado (and more)
A Reflection on the Tenth Anniversary of Will D. Campbell’s Death
It’s Will Campbell’s fault I am no longer a pastor. That’s not completely true. Yet, nearly every word he wrote or spoke has shaped my understanding of ministry.
Emerging Voices | How a Railway Warning Applies to Local Churches
Railway passengers often see the warning, “Mind the gap!” in stations. Churches would do well to appropriate this warning as they seek to minister to their congregations.
Wisdom Wherever You Find It | The International Society for the Study of Apologies
Two lifelong friends have formed the International Society for the Study of Apologies. No, it is not a real thing, but their musings provide insight into the nature, and practice, of saying, “I’m sorry.”
June 2, 2023
How Evangelical Christian Writer Jemar Tisby Became a Radioactive Symbol of ‘Wokeness’; The Revolt of the Christian Homeschoolers; A Pillar of Authoritarian President Erdogan’s Victory: Turkey’s Devout Conservative Women (and more)
Dancing Through Life
A dancer in the New York City subway system entertains and inspires passersby. Reading about his art, I began to reflect on the dance of life, which is filled with myriad movements and rhythms.
A Troubling Past and An Equally Troubling Present
A meme started to appear on my social media toward the end of April. It simply read “may she rot in Hell.” It took me a few minutes to realize it was referring to Carolyn Bryant whose false accusation against Emmett Till led to his death.
How the Free Mom Hugs Movement Was Born
Sara Cunningham’s journey that resulted in the Free Mom Hugs movement was a long process of reconsidering long-held beliefs about what the Bible says about human sexuality. Here is part of her story.
June 1, 2023
Republican Bill in Michigan House Would Mandate Teaching about ‘Christian Foundations’ of U.S.; South Carolina Tried to Ban Abortions After 6 Weeks of Pregnancy – But Every Woman in the State Senate Voted Against It; Jewish Activists Protest Pentecost Event in Jerusalem; Deputy Mayor Calls Christianity a ‘Cult’ (and more)
The Cultural Context Too Obvious to Ignore
The focus on church conversations has largely been on how to reengage members following the COVID-19 pandemic. While understandable, churches are also facing another reality that is something less comfortable to talk about above a whisper.
Support for LGBTQ+ Non-Profits Small But Growing
LGBTQ+ non-profits in the U.S. receive less than 1% of all charitable contributions, according to a report published by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. However, financial support has grown in recent years.
Few U.S. Protestant Churchgoers Volunteer in the Community
Less than one third of U.S. Protestant churchgoers do any volunteer work, even though a majority say they want to do so, according to a Lifeway Research report. Evangelism is a key motivation in the desire to volunteer.
May 31, 2023
Charlies Kirk’s ‘Turning Point’ Pivots to Christian Nationalism; Fox News is Airing Weekly Sermons from a Christian Nationalist Pastor Who Has Called Transgender People ‘a Plan on None Other than Satan Himself’; Americans are Rejecting Religion as the Christian Right Becomes More Extreme
“Deep is the Hunger:” When the Sunday Morning Worship Service is Not Enough
I’ve attended Sunday morning worship services for more than 30 years. The traditional, predictable order of service has consistently left me deeply dissatisfied.
More Mass Shootings, No Substantive Responses in Texas
Five years after a mass shooting at a Texas high school, and multiple mass shootings since, nothing substantive has been done by Texas leaders to address gun violence. Recent efforts to pass gun control legislation have not been successful.
Pope Laments Lack of Progress in Global Peacemaking
War never brings relief to human lives, Pope Francis emphasized in a pontifical message to a mid-May international conference. Rather than resolving conflicts, war results in destruction and loss of humanity.
White Supremacist and the N-Word: The Failure of This “Both Sides” Argument
There’s a difference between calling someone a white supremacist and calling someone the N-word. To say they are the same is a false equivalent; this is not a “both sides” argument.
Looking Beyond the Horizon While Living This Side of It
A collection of Viktor Frankl’s lectures offers fresh insight into his experiences and reflections as a Holocaust survivor. He offers a hopeful activism that can guide those who find themselves in contexts dominated by the intoxication of power.
Look Back | A Short History of Memorial Day
Decorating the graves of fallen soldiers goes back at least to the fifth century BCE. In the United States, however, the tradition originally referred to as “Decoration Day” sprang up in response to the Civil War.
Students, Welcome MAGA to the Class
A new student is coming to schools near you. Their presence has been enabled by right-wing politicians across the nation, who are challenging long-held traditions and foundational concepts vital to our constitutional democracy.
Emerging Voices | Sacred Safe Places
Christians live in both an already and a not yet space. We are a part of the pilgrimage not yet completed, but we also are already a part of the coming kingdom of God.
U.S. Adults Embrace Change Over Tradition for Nation’s Future
The U.S. is among the advanced economies in which most adults embrace change over sticking to traditions, according to a Pew Research Center report. All but two of the 19 nations surveyed had a majority of adults affirm this view.
Chimps, Champs, and Cherry Log
Thinking theologically as we experience life is a worthwhile skill, even when on vacation. You never know what you will see, learn, or file away for future pondering.
Overlooked Climate Concern: Municipal Landfill Emissions
Methane emissions from municipal landfills are a key contributor to greenhouse gas emission increases, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. They account for more than 14% of total U.S. methane emissions.
U.S. Homelessness Increased for Seventh Straight Year
Homelessness in the U.S. increased for the seventh straight year, according to an annual report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Currently, 18 in every 10,000 people living in the U.S. are experiencing homelessness.
By the Way | The Race to the Right in Evangelical Higher Education
When I headed to graduate school in the summer of 1980, my aspiration was someday to teach at a Christian liberal arts school. With recent developments at several evangelical colleges, I see now how precarious that path would have been.
Where Are the Leaders With Integrity?
It might just be that religious leaders today exceed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who questioned, heckled, and ultimately rejected Jesus. Those are harsh words, but tragically true.
Plurality of U.S. Protestants Say Churches Don’t Actively Support Fostering or Adoption
A plurality of U.S. Protestant churchgoers said their church doesn’t actively support fostering or adoption, according to LifeWay Research. No expression of support surveyed had more than 18% of respondents say their church was engaged in that manner.