Recent Articles
How Health Care Inequities Cost Lives
Proper hand hygiene is continually emphasized in modern health care. Yet, a new report found that nearly half of the world’s health care facilities do not meet the basic guidelines for water, sanitation and hygiene. Such inequities cost lives.
A Tale of Two Griefs Emerges Following Queen Elizabeth’s Death
Queen Elizabeth’s death has elicited a variety of responses, with two overarching and contrasting expressions: appreciation for her life, legacy and leaders, and lament of the negative impacts of colonialism from the empire she reigned over for seven decades.
Celebrating Disney’s More Inclusive Storytelling
Disney’s decision to cast a Black actress as Ariel in its live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’ has been met with some toxic reactions. Such negative responses reveal not only bias and racism but also the social construct of race.
U.S. Views Trend Negative for Three Major Religious Groups
The views of U.S. adults toward the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormon Church) trend negative and unfavorable, according to a new YouGov report.
People of Good Faith: Christine Young
Christine Young is serving as a Good Faith Media Ernest C. Hynds Jr. Intern for the fall 2022 semester. She is a recent graduate of York University in Toronto, Ontario.
Partnership, Cooperation Highlighted at National Baptist Convention of American Annual Session
The National Baptist Convention of America, International met in person at St. Stephen Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and online for its 142nd annual session. Celebrating partnership and cooperation was a central theme running throughout the gathering.
Has the U.S. Decided Certain People Are Above the Law?
Last Sunday marked the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Domestic terrorism is not new to the United States, but until Jan. 6, 2021, naming it and prosecuting it has been pretty straight forward
September 16, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: ‘Tasting Power is a Dangerous Thing’: Local Church Leaders Say ‘Shrill Voices’ in the Christian Nationalism Movement are Taking Over School Boards and Dividing Communities; Russell Moore: What Churches Can Teach Us About a Dividing America; Supreme Court Declines to Block Order Requiring Yeshiva University to Recognize LGBTQ Student Club (and more)
The Harvest Moon: Good Faith Media, Shining Light into Darkness
A trip to New England provided an opportunity to view a harvest moon. Standing in the Atlantic Ocean looking at the moon, I thought of a saying of Jesus, which led to reflection on Good Faith Media’s work.
Two New Titles Now Available from Nurturing Faith Books
‘Trusting Grace: The Journey from Fear to Love’ and ‘101 Sparks of Inspiration: Scripture-Based Sermon Starters and Devotions’ are the latest books published by Nurturing Faith Books.
David Emmanuel Goatley Named Sixth President of Fuller Seminary
David Emmanuel Goatley will become the sixth president of Fuller Seminary in January 2023. He will be the first Black president of the seminary, succeeding Mark Labberton who has served as president since 2013.
September 15, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Satanic Panic is Making a Comeback, Fueled by QAnon Believers and GOP Influencers; Book Co-Authored by White Christian Nationalist Andrew Torba Makes Amazon Best-Seller List; Westminster Abbey: A History of the England’s Famous Royal Church; Elizabeth II’s Reign Reflected a Change in Britain’s Relationship With the Church, Says UK Ambassador to the Vatican (and more)
That Will Be Glory for Me
Figs are one of my favorite foods. Making a fresh batch of preserves recently, I was reminded of Jesus’ parable of the fig tree and what it reveals to us about being his disciples.
A Christian Case for Legalized Abortion Part 3: Taking Bearings from Experience and Reason
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 reason and experience reveal about abortion?
Less Than Half of U.S. Could Identify as Christian by 2070
The next five decades could see the percentage of U.S. adults who identify as Christian drop below 50%, according to a new Pew Research Center report. The projections are based on current trends and patterns.
September 14, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: Seattle Pacific University is Imploding Over School’s Refusal to Hire People in Same-Sex Relationships, Lawsuit Argues; Decline of Christianity Shows No Signs of Stopping; Karen Armstrong Discusses How Religion Taught us About the Natural World (and more)
No Opening Acts: A Lesson in Mentoring
Musician Vince Gill’s approach to concerts stands out in all the best ways. A recent trip to see him offered lessons in kindness and humility, providing insight into how we can encourage and mentor others.
A Christian Case for Legalized Abortion Part 2: Bearings from Tradition
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 Christian tradition say about abortion?
Texas Judge Affirms Plaintiff’s Religious Objections in Affordable Care Act Challenge
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care and Act has come under fire once more, with a Christian non-profit challenging provisions based on religious objections. Here is how the case diverges from previous ACA challenges.
September 12, 2022
In today’s curated news and analysis headlines: The Catholic Church is Bankrolling a Nationwide Assault on Women’s Rights; The Southern Baptist Convention’s Deal with the Devil; Religion and Samuel Alito’s Time Bomb; MLK’s Sister Celebrates 95th Anniversary at Ebenezer Baptist Church (and more)
Movie Review: “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.”
‘Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” puts a fictitious Atlanta megachurch front and center. This ‘mockumentary’ reveals the tragic results when following the money takes precedent over following Jesus.
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.