One of the ministers photographed last week laying hands on President Trump and circling him in prayer has taken exception to a civil-rights leader’s labeling the viral image as “theological malpractice bordering on heresy.”
‘The Cross and the Lynching Tree’: A broken gospel
It was a killing field, and accounts of those brutal murders make for heart-rending but necessary reading.
Transitions for the week of 07.21.17
Staff changes, congregational news and more from across the nation.
Why Russia is afraid of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and why would the Russian, or any, government consider them to be a threat?
China’s religious revival fuels environmental activism
Hundreds of millions of people in China have turned to religions like Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, seeking a sense of purpose and an escape from China’s consumerist culture. That revival is helping fuel an environmental awakening.
Religious liberty or social mischief? Understanding the ‘wall of separation’ between church and state
In recent years a new crop of claims of religious freedom has arisen to give credence to some very old forms of discrimination. Some claims to religious liberty disguise social mischief. How do we distinguish the two?
Are you ready for an evangelism upgrade?
Scripture tells us always to be ready when someone asks about the hope within us. The greatest indictment of today’s evangelism may be that hardly anyone is asking.
Are state constitutions’ prohibitions on aid to churches legal?
A recent U.S. Supreme Court case may put such restrictions on shaky ground, say some legal observers.
A new front in the war over reproductive rights: ‘abortion-pill reversal’
A San Diego doctor claims his injection can save a fetus after a medication abortion has already begun — the latest attempt by abortion foes to create a narrative of regret.
Revisiting Ayn Rand’s anti-religious philosophy
Why do so many conservative Christians buy into a philosophy which, on its face and all the way down, is opposed to religious faith and manifestly contradicts all the stories, counsels, commands and promises of the Christian faith?
Love ’em, hate ’em, eat ’em: The complicated relationship between humans and animals
Expect the future to bring an intensifying and polarizing acceleration on all fronts of those human-animal relationships.
The economics of belief: Does morality come down to nothing more than, ‘Can we afford it’?
Our ability “to afford” is a moral compass we use to navigate an incredibly complex milieu of decisions. Affordability isn’t just a component of our moral decision making; it has become the very whole of our morality.
‘We’re losing more people to the sweets than to the streets’: Why two black pastors are suing Coca-Cola
Obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and lower-extremity amputations are all far higher among people of color than among whites. These communities also drink more soda — and are exposed to more soda advertising.
Pence roots administration’s support for Israel in faith
Vice President Mike Pence told evangelical supporters of Israel that God had a hand in creating the state of Israel and that his support for the country is rooted in his faith.