Recent Articles
A Christian Case for Legalized Abortion Part 1: Bearings from the Bible
The U.S. Supreme Court said the Constitution does not guarantee the right to abortion in its ‘Dobbs’ ruling, even though most adults say abortion should be legal with some restrictions. What does the Bible say about abortion?
One in Five U.S. Christians Give At Least 10% of Income to Church
Around one in five off all U.S. Christians consistently give at least 10% of their income to their church, according to a new Barna Group report. “Practicing Christians” are far more likely than “non-practicing Christians” to do so.
September 12, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Queen Elizabeth II Left an Impression on Houston’s Antioch Mission Baptist Church During Her 1991 Visit; In Houston, VP Kamala Harris at the National Baptist Convention Rips Lawmakers for Abortion Laws, Calls on Faith to ‘Lead us Forward’; ‘God-Denying’ Women and Self-Replacing Christians: How Religion Changes Birthrates; Oberlin College to Pay $36.59M to Bakery Owners Who Claim They Were Falsely Accused of Racism (and more)
People of Good Faith: Machaela Murrell
Machaela Murrell is from Durham, North Carolina, and a rising junior at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is an Ernest C. Hynds Jr. intern for the fall 2022 semester.
Most U.S. Adults See Gun Violence as Major Problem, Support Multiple Reform Proposals
Gun violence is seen as a major problem by most U.S. adults, according to a recent AP-NORC survey. A majority of respondents also supported several possible reform proposals aimed at reducing gun violence.
Look Back | Ceremonial Faith Is Not Enough
The U.S. is beset with “ceremonial Christianity.” It is promoted by those who decry the separation of church and state and who have created a false, alternative history of the nation.
September 9, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Former Trump Advisor Michael Flynn ‘at the Center’ of a New Movement Based on Conspiracies and Christian Nationalism; When Did Religious Belief Become an Excuse to Discriminate?; Attendees of Wyoming Christian Programs for Troubled Teens Say They Were Tied to Goats for Days and Branded with a Cross as Punishment; People Dressed in Angel Wings Shielded LGBTQ Students Attending BYU from Protesters (and more)
The Life Beyond
After updating my will last week, I began pondering life after death. Avoiding the “pie-in-the-sky-bye-and-bye” kind of thinking, most of us believe in some kind of existence beyond this one. My Indigenous ancestors offer a helpful framework for such reflection.
Report Finds ‘Unprecedented Levels’ of Anxiety, Depression Among U.S. Children
Children in the U.S. are struggling with mental health, experiencing “unprecedented levels” of anxiety and depression, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Our Fellow Believers – Friends, Not Foes
The Roman Catholicism in which I was raised inserted me into the mystery of Christ; it also taught me (with some allowances) that basically only Catholics would go to heaven. The latter view has changed significantly over the years.
September 8, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Historic BBQ Helped Build a Church; Court Rules Football is Not, in Fact, a Religion; South Carolina Lawmakers Advance Near-Total Abortion Ban to Full Senate After Stripping Rape and Incest Exceptions; When Does Life Begin? As State Laws Define It, Science, Politics and Religion Clash (and more)
Sermon Preparation of the First Order
When the new ‘Nurturing Faith Commentary’ became available on Aug. 1, the first order came from Nathan Byrd III, pastor of Milledge Avenue Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia. Here is why Byrd was so eager to purchase the book.
The Problem of Political Anger
After 30 years of sparring over politics with a conservative friend of mine, I’ve found that political temper tantrums from both of us are never constructive. We need to be committed citizens with strong convictions, but not extremists.
Navigating Loss and Processing Grief
A close friend has died, and the world seems a bit darker in his absence. Frederick Austerlitz the Fearless. Fred for short. Our Golden Retriever. Our Golden boy was laid to rest. Here is how our family is navigating our loss.
September 7, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: How the Ukraine War is Causing Fissures in D.C.’s Russian Orthodox Community; Some Parents Complain After More Than 100 Students are Baptized at NC School Without Their Consent; Former First Baptist Church Auditorium Downtown to Return to Life with Immersive Art Exhibit (and more)
Why We Must Take Care of Our Blessings
There are multiple reports that parts of world are in deep water, with flooding in some places and prolonged drought in others. Water is indispensable, so we should be paying attention and working to care for creation.
The Stubborn Witness of a Spider
I bumped into one of my sisters this morning. To be more precise, I actually crashed right into her while walking in the woods. Pausing to collect myself, here is what this encounter is teaching me.
How We Can Address Social Determinants of Health
What are the social determinants of health in the U.S.? What are some barriers to health and wellbeing for senior adults? A recent study provided some insights and suggested answers.
September 6, 2022
Some Members of the Southern Baptist Convention are Meeting in Fort Worth to Tackle Sex Abuse Scandal; Stained Glass Jesus Stays as South Carolina Church is Turned into Apartments; The Roots of American Support for Israel (and more)
Seven Reflections on Work for Labor Day
Work is good and essential in both a civilized society and a spiritual community. Yet, some have misunderstood the story of Genesis 3 to imply that work is a part of God’s curse on humanity.
The Interplay of Christian Nationalism and Replacement Theory
The interplay between systems of Christian belief and conspiracy theories was the focal point of a webinar hosted by Religions for Peace, USA, which featured Carmen Celestini, a post-doctoral fellow with the School of Religion at Queen’s University.
Support for Labor Unions in the U.S. Continues to Increase
The number of U.S. adults who approve of labor unions continued to increase in 2022, according to a new Gallup report. Support has increased for the last six years and is at its highest level since 1965.
Look Back | Shine Faith’s Light on Work This Labor Day
Despite the importance of work, the theme is rarely addressed at church. Yet, the Scriptures are full of references to work. Can you name a few?
September 2, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: As the Third Consecutive Woman to Preside Over CBF, Debbie McDaniel is Just as Surprised as Anyone Else; A Conservative School District and Texas Lawmaker Try to Outmaneuver Efforts to Subvert ‘In God We Trust’ Law; NC Church’s Pride, Black Lives Matter Flags Burned (and more)
Second Nurturing Faith Commentary Volume Now Available
‘Nurturing Faith Commentary: Year A, Volume 2’ by Tony W. Cartledge is now available in the Good Faith Media bookstore. This is the second of a planned 12-volume series, with a promotional pricing offer available until the end of 2022.
When Does ‘It’ Stop?
When does it stop? That was the question posed to one of my sons who had posted on Facebook about the Biden administration’s tuition forgiveness program. It is one question among many revealing a problematic trend.
Reaction and Response: Majority of U.S. Protestant Pastors Say Females Could Be Pastor of Their Church
A majority of U.S. Protestant pastors affirm that women could serve as the senior pastor in their congregation, according to a LifeWay Research report. Significant disparities exist between denominations.
September 1, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Second Baptist Pastor Ed Young Calls for Democrats to be Voted Out During Sermon; Texas Education Board Moves to Delay Updates to Social Studies Curriculum After Conservative Pushback; The White Christian Understanding of the U.S. Has a Global History; Major Evangelical Organization Says Christianity Demands Climate Action (and more)
“Woke” and Proud
A teacher who had been using Nurturing Faith Journal and Bible Studies was apologetic, but still regretted to inform me that his senior adult class would no longer be using the curriculum I write. Here is why.
Meet the Fall 2022 Good Faith Media Interns
Machael Murrell and Christine Young are Good Faith Media’s Ernest C. Hynds Jr. Interns for fall 2022. They are the seventh group of interns and will begin their internship on September 1.