Recent Articles
By the Way | Standing Up for the Y (Chromosome)
Whatever you want to say about Southern Baptists (and yes, there’s a lot to say) they know how to stand up for principles.
June 22, 2023
The Southern Baptist Convention’s Long War for the Patriarchy; Appeals Court Allows Christian-Owned Texas Business Chain to Discriminate Against LGBT Persons; The New Museum at America’s Largest Slave Port Site Also Taps Into a Deeply Rooted Joy (and more)
John D. Pierce to Retire as Executive Editor/Publisher of Good Faith Media
Good Faith Media Executive Editor/Publisher John D. Pierce is set to retire at the end of this year, following more than two decades of expanding and innovating the organization’s flagship publication – Nurturing Faith Journal, formerly Baptists Today.
The Good, the Bad, and the Guilty
A recent visit to the Ocmulguee Mounds National Historical Park near Macon, Georgia, offered an opportunity to reflect on our nation’s history. Perhaps guilt is an essential part of that process in order for hearts and minds to be changed.
June 21, 2023
Topeka Rescue Mission Accepts Gift of Former Baptist Church Valued at $800,000+; Republicans Declare Banning Universal Free School Meals a 2024 Priority; Creation of First Synthetic Human Embryo Raises Ethical Issues
Same Song, Different Verses
Same song, different verses. Different times, different issues. But the same arrogant, self-serving and misguided approach to biblical interpretation. It’s same certainty that leads to cruelty — not in scale but in consistency.
Don’t Miss the Signs
Emily Dickinson advised that we “tell the truth but tell it slant.” Jesus seemed to agree given that he taught so often in parables. Could they both be wrong? Might more forthright truth-telling be necessary?
June 20, 2023
He’s Deeply Religious and a Democrat. He Might be the Next Big Thing in Texas.; DeSantis’ Campaign of Demonizing the Left Poses Grave Danger – Even if He Loses; 16th Century Mexican Church Emerges from the Water Amid Deadly Heatwave
Freedom’s Progress Report
Juneteenth, also known as “Jubilee Day,” celebrates the arrival of Union troops to Galveston Bay, Texas on June 19, 1865, with news that more than a quarter million African Americans were free by executive decree. Now it’s a federal holiday and along with the celebrations, it seems like a good time to report on the progress that freedom has made.
Omens of a Bleak Future
A confluence of events have made visible expression of what I call the ‘hateful faithful.’ People in the United States are not heeding warnings about the dangers of this movement from religious, civil rights and political leaders.
June 19, 2023
As the Nation Celebrates Juneteenth, It’s Time to Get Rid of These Three Myths About Slavery ; Black Catholics Celebrate Juneteenth, Reckon with Church’s History of Slavery; Pence Dodges on Whether to Expel Southern Baptist Churches Led by Women Pastors
New Jersey Faith Groups Call for Community-Based Violence Intervention: Part 2
Faith in New Jersey aims to empower the community. Its leaders have faith in organizing and urge faith leaders to get more involved as part of their prophetic calling.
Movie Review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is one of the best movies of the year. Entertaining and engaging, the film also raises important questions about fate, destiny, personal volition and free will.
How Minds and Hearts Change: 10 Steps in My Journey Toward Full LGBTQ+ Inclusion – Part 5
This article series details 10 steps in the journey toward my own change of mind and heart – not because it is everybody’s story, but because it might help those whose journey begins in some kind of conservative religious space.
June 16, 2023
A Religious Charter School Faces Pushback from the Charter School Movement Itself; A Massive Leak Spotlights the Extremism of Anti-Trans Medical Group; How Pat Robertson Changed Christian Media and Made it Politically Influential (and more)
New Jersey Faith Groups Call for Community-Based Violence Intervention: Part 1
Equal Justice USA and Faith in New Jersey are calling on clergy to join them on the frontlines to reduce violence and to establish community-based responses to violence that do not rely entirely on police.
How Minds and Hearts Change: 10 Steps in My Journey Toward Full LGBTQ+ Inclusion – Part 4
This article series details 10 steps in the journey toward my own change of mind and heart – not because it is everybody’s story, but because it might help those whose journey begins in some kind of conservative religious space.
Republicans, Weekly Churchgoers Outliers in Same-Sex Marriage Views
Most U.S. adults support the legalization of same-sex marriage, according to a Gallup report published June 5. Only two groups included in the report did not have majority support.
June 15, 2023
Here’s How a $1 Deal Saved a Stunning N.J. Church from the Wrecking Ball; Pittsburgh Synagogue Trial is Proving the Obvious, but Ultimately Focused on the Death Penalty; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Woos GOP Christian Voters but Stays Tight-Lipped on His Own Catholic Faith (Kansas City Star)
Northern Alberta Church Celebrates Commitment to LGBTQ+ Community (and more)
How Minds and Hearts Change: 10 Steps in My Journey Toward Full LGBTQ+ Inclusion – Part 3
This article series details 10 steps in the journey toward my own change of mind and heart – not because it is everybody’s story, but because it might help those whose journey begins in some kind of conservative religious space.
A Decentered Self: Where Religious Traditions Intersect
Is there something that grounds the ethical similarities between faith traditions? There are too many significant differences to say that they are different paths up the same mountain, but there are also foundational concepts they share.
U.S. Deaths from Alcohol, Drugs and Suicide Reach All-Time High
Deaths in the United States related to alcohol, drugs and suicide hit an all-time high in 2021, according to a report from Trust for America’s health. While COVID-19 is a contributing factor, this increase is part of a two-decade-long trend.
Bill Gothard, Unheeded Warnings and ‘Shiny Happy People’
A new docuseries from Amazon Prime Video reveals the influence of Bill Gothard and his Institute in Basic Life Principles. I was among many in the ’80s and ’90s sounding the alarm about his teachings. Tragically, our warnings went unheeded.
A Place Where Culturally Authentic Faith Expressions Are Unmatched
My family and I joined more than 180 others who traveled to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, from all corners of the globe. We came to engage in good work and play at the intersection of Indigeneity and theology.
How Minds and Hearts Change: 10 Steps in My Journey Toward Full LGBTQ+ Inclusion – Part 2
This article series details 10 steps in the journey toward my own change of mind and heart – not because it is everybody’s story, but because it might help those whose journey begins in some kind of conservative religious space.
June 13, 2023
Here’s How a $1 Deal Saved a Stunning N.J. Church from the Wrecking Ball; Pittsburgh Synagogue Trial is Proving the Obvious, but Ultimately Focused on the Death Penalty; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Woos GOP Christian Voters but Stays Tight-Lipped on His Own Catholic Faith (and more)
How Minds and Hearts Change: 10 Steps in My Journey Toward Full LGBTQ+ Inclusion – Part 1
This article series details 10 steps in the journey toward my own change of mind and heart – not because it is everybody’s story, but because it might help those whose journey begins in some kind of conservative religious space.
Most Churches Don’t Know How to Treat Victims of Spiritual Abuse
For Christians who have experienced spiritual abuse, the church building may not be a place for healing. Since spiritual abuse creates religious trauma, Christians who use guilt and shame to push them into a pew are not helping.
Protestant Pastors, Non-Christians Hold Diverse Views of Church’s Community Role
Protestant pastors and non-Christians in the U.S. view the role of a church differently, according to a report by Barna Group. Pastors who considered quitting in the past year view evangelism, discipleship efforts differently.
June 12, 2023
Christian Nationalism and Biblical Literalism Independently Predict Conspiracy Thinking, Study Finds; Uganda Now Has the Death Penalty for Certain Same-Sex Acts. Imported US ‘Christian Values’ Accused of Inciting LGBTQ Persecution in Africa; Meet the LGBTQ Activist Who Challenged His Caribbean County’s Anti-Sodomy Law and Won (and more)