Recent Articles
October 17, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Cuba’s Progressive Christians are Making Their Country More Inclusive; In Response to Gun Violence, This California Church Opened a Resource Center and Hopes to Change Lives; How a Knock on Neil Armstrong’s Door in 1969 is Still Reverberating; Religious Polarization in India Seeping into US Diaspora (and more)
What Singing Vegetables Taught Me About Social Justice
My earliest lessons in what it means to be a Christian leftist were from Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber – two of Evangelical Christianity’s most important prophets for Christian children of the 90s.
How a Weary Traveler Found Liminal Space in the Eyes of Others
Not everyone can travel to specific locations or attend conferences and retreats in search for liminal spaces. However, we can all find these “thin places” when we focus on our relationships with others.
New Resource Available from The Raceless Gospel Initiative
With U.S. Thanksgiving approaching, millions are planning to gather around the table. All of this got me to thinking about our table manners and Jesus’ table ministry as outlined in Luke’s Gospel.
October 14, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Phantom is Not at the Opera, He’s at Savannah’s First Baptist Church With its New Organ; Supreme Deceit: How Sam Alito Snuck Medieval State Christianity into the Dobbs Decision; Political Rift Shows Up in Colorado Board of Education’s Vote to Veto Christian Nationalist American Birthright Social Studies Standards; Chattanooga-Area Baptist Group Helps Clean Up After Hurricane Ian (and more)
New Strategy, Same Concept: “Save the Man, Kill the Indian”
A family filed a suit that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming the Indian Child Welfare Act is unconstitutional. Will the Supreme Court acknowledge tribal sovereignty and keep ICWA as law?
Why, and How, You Should Practice the Ritual of Land Acknowledgment
I have been practicing the ritual of land acknowledgement for many years, like many other Indigenous people. Here is why, and how individuals and houses of faith can do so also.
Philadelphia Mayor Apologizes for Holmesburg Prison Experimentation
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney formally apologized for atrocities which were committed at the infamous Holmesburg Prison over 50 years ago. The prison had a long, horrific history of allowing medical experimentation on inmates.
October 13, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Concerns Grow Over Increasing Ties Between Christianity and Right-Wing Nationalism; Civil Rights Attorney Fred Gray Talks About Religion, Racism During Talk at Faulkner; Study Shows More Americans Allow Politics to Shape Religion Beliefs (and more)
Plain and Simple?
The Old Order Amish are famously “plain,” but their lives are anything but simple. A dozen participants in a recent Good Faith Experience with multiple Amish families learned just how complicated the “plain” life can be.
What’s in a Name?
If the first step toward liberation is self-naming, the fact that we are unable to name ourselves reveals how far we are from this goal. Part of the problem is that many within our community fiercely argue for one term over and against another.
Responding to Colonialism
The movement to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day challenges Christians to confront their faith tradition’s complex history and, at times, complicity with empire. So, how should American Christians think about and respond to advocacy movements for Indigenous peoples?
October 12, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: United Methodists are Breaking up in a Slow-Moving Schism; ‘The Class War Never Ends, the Master Never Relents’: An Interview with Norm Chomsky; As Inflation Hits, Africa’s Largest Indigenous Church Clings to a Tea Obsession (and more)
Perhaps the Winning Is in the Welcome
“Soul winner” was a common phrase in the religious lexicon of my upbringing. Sharing the good news of Jesus is important for Christians, but how it is carried out makes all the difference in the world.
Why Truth Must Come Before Lamentation and Reconciliation
Truth comes before reconciliation. These words have become ingrained in my mind after hosting and attending our Canadian Baptist families’ second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation online event.
UN: ‘Piecemeal’ Approach Won’t Effectively Combat Systemic Racism
A U.N. report says a comprehensive approach is essential to effectively combatting systemic racism, rather than the current piecemeal approach. It highlights continued disproportionate experiences and life expectations of people of African descent across the world.
October 11, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: A $100 Million Ad Campaign Wants to Fix Jesus’ Image. His Followers Remain a Problem.; Michael Flynn is Creating an ‘Army of God’ in Growing Christian Nationalist Movement; Christian Nationalism Will Lead to Christian Persecution, SBC President Bret Barber Warns; How Hitler’s Enablers Undid Democracy in Germany (and more)
Who First Discovered America?
Who first discovered America? Your answer depends on the history you were taught. Restoring the broken fragments of Indigenous history first begins by acknowledging a fuller and complete history.
On Military Service and Student Loan Forgiveness
An announcement about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program’s limited waiver ending in October reminded me of why I have student loans. I decided not to follow my family’s tradition of joining the military.
U.S. Holds Mixed Views on Religious Expressions in Sports, Schools
A slim U.S. majority approves of the Supreme Court’s ruling that “a public high school football coach can pray on the field after games.” Views on several scenarios regarding prayer at sporting events and public schools were mixed.
October 10, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Orthodox Jews Suing Over NY Gun Law Restrictions for Synagogues; A Marine Who Hated Muslims Went to a Mosque to Plant a Bomb. His Intended Victims Ended up Saving His Life. ; Breakaway Church Gives Gay Ex-Monk what Vatican Would Deny Him: A Holy Wedding (and more)
People of Good Faith: Danielle L. Bridgeforth
Danielle L. Bridgeforth is an ordained preacher, writer and encourager who serves as the senior pastor of the Church at Clarendon located in Arlington, Virginia.
160m Children Remain in Child Labor Conditions
There were 233 million working children in 2021, with 160 million in conditions of child labor, according to U.S. Department of Labor report. Of the children in child labor, 79 million worked in hazardous conditions.
Look Back | Columbus Day, No Reason to Celebrate
Christopher Columbus was hired by my ancestors to expand the emerging empire of Spain. I find it somewhat surprising that we “celebrate” what is believed to be the start of one of the largest acts of genocide ever recorded in human history.
Remember This: The Story of Jan Karski
Of the Broadway shows I saw in New York City on a recent vacation, one left me moved beyond explanation. David Strathairn’s performance of Jan Karski in “Remember This: The Lessons of Jan Karski” was mesmerizing.
Road Trips, Car Trouble and Finding Hope in Small Towns
Car trouble on a recent trip resulted in a weekend spent in a small Virginia town. What I witnessed at the Friday evening community-wide gathering at the country store challenged my preconceptions and gave me hope.
Challenging Racism in the Criminal Punishment System by Connecting the Dots Between ‘Moore v. Dempsey’ (1923) and 2022 – Part 2
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1923 that the due process rights were violated at trial for six of the Elaine 12. Here is the connection between that decision and the U.S. criminal legal and punishment system today.
Challenging Racism in the Criminal Punishment System by Connecting the Dots Between ‘Moore v. Dempsey’ (1923) and 2022 – Part 1
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1923 that the due process rights were violated at trial for six of the Elaine 12. Here is the connection between that decision and the U.S. criminal legal and punishment system today.
Awakened by Ashes
In the early days of COVID-19, some communities required cremation as a safety public health step. As I’ve prepared a presentation on grief after the pandemic, I’ve been thinking about ashes.
Study Reveals Self-Perception of U.S. Adults’ Tolerance, Inclusivity, Pluralism
U.S. Muslims were more likely to perceive themselves to be tolerant and inclusive than non-Muslims when it comes to philanthropy, according to a report from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.