Recent Articles
When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
Americans are preparing to vote in the midterms, and we hear the familiar cliché, “The next election is the most significant one in our lifetime.” But the constant fighting among politicians has left many “dog tired.”
How Should Christians Work to Overcome Oppression?
Is it ethical for people of color within the U.S. who claim to be disciples of Christ to engage in violence against oppressors? Before you answer, consider that violence against the oppressed has been institutionalized.
Why Competent Thinking Is Essential
Why are some people apparently not thinking about much of anything? That thought was on my mind one recent morning, leading me to spend some time thinking about thinking.
People of Good Faith: David Wheeler
David Wheeler is an adjunct professor of theology at Palmer Seminary in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.
Wisdom Wherever You Find it: Moral Utility
History is a human construct that chooses among a myriad of events to create a narrative from the past to inform the present. So, we must consider what historian Jon Meacham called ‘the moral utility of history.’
‘Searching for God and Finding the Treasure’ Invites Readers on Journey of Self Analysis, Discovery
The Black Lives Matter movement caused me to look at the privileges that being white has afforded me. Reading the book ‘Searching for God and Finding the Treasure’ forced me to look at the privileges that being male has brought me.
Sunset on the Mountain: Count Your Blessings
Good Faith Media is hosting a writer’s retreat this week at Amicalola Falls State Park in the mountains of northern Georgia. Fall has assuredly descended upon the mountain, as we were greeted with 40-degree temperatures and a kaleidoscope of autumn colors.
Religious Identity References Common Among Alternate Social Media Accounts
Few U.S. adults regularly obtain news and information from seven alternative social media platforms, but most who do say they have found community. Religious identity references are common among the most prominent users.
The Shamefulness of Maternity Care Deserts in the U.S.
Nearly seven million women of childbearing age have low or no access to basic obstetric services in their county of residence, according to the March of Dimes “Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.” biannual report.
By the Way | Weeping in Church During Roll Call
I wept in church recently. Didn’t see it coming, but during the refrain of “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder” there it was. Here is how I found myself in tears in a church pew.
U.S. Teens Have Mostly Positive Views of Jesus
In a recent Barna Group survey, teenagers around the world were asked about how they would describe Jesus. Their responses show that many teenagers have a fairly positive view about Jesus.
How Does Political Polarization Destabilize Faith Communities?
Princeton Theological Seminary hosted an in-person and live-streamed panel discussion considering how political polarization destabilizes communities, including houses of faith.
On “Saving” the Bible and the Babies
There are striking parallels in how power politics get played to seize organizational reigns and to advance an agenda of wider dominance disguised as “pro-life.” Both are centered on unquestioned control.
Where Prayer, Politics and Voting Intersect
A candidate for political office in the U.S. recently suggested that our vote is a sort of prayer. It expresses what we value for our common life and what our vision and hope is for its future.
U.S. Evangelicals Influenced More by Family, Friends and Media Than the Bible on Immigration
Family, friends and the media are more influential in shaping the immigration views of U.S. Evangelicals than the Bible, according to a LifeWay Research report.
October 18, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: How Michael Flynn Goes Local to Spread Christian Nationalism; Doug Mastriano’s Holy War; Episcopal Priest: Same Sex Marriage is Religious Freedom (and more)
Following Jesus Can Get You Kicked Out of Church
Following Jesus can result in you getting kicked out of a church. It’s an experience that both Clarence Jordan and I have in common. Ironically, American discipleship doesn’t come with that warning or many examples.
Books by Charles E. Poole, Jon R. Roebuck Now Available from Nurturing Faith Books
Nurturing Faith Books has released two new titles, ‘The Path to Depth’ by Charles E. Poole and ‘Morning Conversations on the Wisdom of the Ages’ by Jon R. Roebuck.
Hunger Doubles in 10 Nations Particularly Impacted by Climate Change
Extreme weather events fueled by climate change are causing widespread hunger, according to an OxFam International report. The number of people living in situations of acute food insecurity in 10 nations has more than doubled since 2016.
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.